A VET who described three rescue dogs as the thinnest she had ever seen believes a convicted pair let them suffer for months.

Authorities became aware of the poor condition of the greyhound cross breed pets when their owners, of Seaham, County Durham, sought medical help earlier this year.

One of the dogs, Kane, was emaciated, unable to stand, move or lift its head and had to be carried into the consultation room.

The vet, from Gateshead PDSA Pet Hospital said “every bone could be seen” while a second dog, Roxy, was standing but “skeletal”, “dull” and was not wagging its tail.

Kevin Campbell, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, yesterday told the court in Newton Aycliffe the vet described the animals as the thinnest dogs she had seen in her career.

He added: “She said both dogs were suffering to an unacceptable extent.

“There would undoubtedly have had to be a number of months to get into that condition.

“It would have been breaking down its body protein.

“It would have been obvious to any dog owner that they were in a bad condition.”

Following the consultation on January 9, the pet owners Christopher Cooke, 31, and Toni Leigh Bailey, 21, were paid a visit by RSPCA inspectors.

At the property, on Church Street, there was another emaciated dog, called Boss, and a fourth dog, called Suki.

The court heard Suki, which was not emaciated but had its ribs showing, was not related to the charge the defendants were facing.

Boss, Kane and Roxy were taken by the inspector and remain in a canine hospital.

Mr Campbell told magistrates a vet who examined Boss said: “It is most likely it was not provided with adequate nutrition and therefore would have been suffering.”

The vet was also led to believe the condition had been a result of a period of months.

In an interview the defendants were unable to give any explanation as to why the pets were in such bad condition, the court heard.

The defendants told magistrates they had had the dogs for about six months.

Tom Morgan, mitigating, said the duo rescued the dogs - one of which was to be used for dog-baiting.

He said: “They wanted to give them a better life but failed.”

Chairman of the bench Pauline Parkins said: “Obviously it’s a very concerning and distressing case.”

Both pleaded guilty to one count of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.

The case was adjourned to allow time for probation to prepare reports ahead of sentencing at the same court on June 14.