‘She was curled up into a ball shape at the back of her kennel panting and shaking’Luna is now happy in a new home(Image: RSPCA)

A woman who the RSPCA said repeatedly let her Cockapoo dog run away has been jailed. Shannon Edwards, of Bakery Court in Stockport, pleaded guilty to four offences contrary to the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

She was jailed earlier this month for 26 weeks and banned from keeping dogs as pets for three years. The RSPCA said she let her dog, called Luna, run away and become seriously injured on at least four occasions.

She lost an eye and suffered a dislocated elbow and bone fractures after she went missing. She was also reported to have been involved in several accidents, said the RSPCA in a statement.

Stockport Magistrates Court heard the RSPCA was contacted by a vet in Manchester in October last year after Luna had been taken into the practice the day before.

In her written statement to the court an RSPCA Inspector said: “I was shown a three-year-old black Cockapoo named Luna. She was curled up into a ball shape at the back of her kennel panting and shaking, and the staff told me that she was absolutely terrified.

The RSPCA was contacted by a vet(Image: RSPCA)

“She had reportedly been missing for a few days and when she was found she wasn’t weight bearing on her front right leg. The staff raised concerns with the RSPCA due to the amount of times the owner had reported Luna missing and subsequently returned with injuries.”

Luna was transferred to the RSPCA’s Greater Manchester Animal Hospital, where she was assessed by a vet. She went on to be seized by police as evidence then passed back into the charity’s care for ongoing treatment. Luna was subsequently discharged into the care of the RSPCA’s Southport, Ormskirk & District Branch six days later, and is now healthy and happy in a new home.

The RSPCA said veterinary records showed Luna had gone missing six times between June 2022 and October 2024, resulting in her sustaining injuries from suspected road traffic accidents on at least four occasions.

A second vet who gave written evidence in the case, said: “The details of how Luna was able to run off are not given but may have been due to the dog repeatedly escaping from the home, garden, yard or a kennel enclosure, or possibly when out on walks, either when let off the lead to exercise, or by being walked without a lead.

“In any event Luna’s owner was aware that the dog had a propensity to do this and the dog was able to do so repeatedly.

“In my opinion the needs of Luna have not been met to the extent required by good practice due to the person responsible for the welfare of this animal failing to take reasonable steps to prevent this dog from running off, thereby failing to protect her from repetitive injury, pain and suffering.”

Edwards, who was sentenced on December 5, admitted she did not put Luna on a lead when she walked her and she should have been more careful, the RSPCA said. The court heard she hadn’t been deliberately cruel and was remorseful.