DOG owners have narrowly avoided jail after allowing three rescue dogs to become skeletal before seeking medical help.

One of the greyhound cross breeds was “at the point of death” according to a vet who described the pets as the thinnest she had seen in her career.

Now separated couple Christopher Cooke, 31, and Toni Leigh Bailey, 21, bought the animals to “bring them a better life” but two vets believed they had suffered for months as a result of inadequate nutrition.

Kevin Campbell, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, yesterday told magistrates the pair came onto the animal welfare charity’s radar on January 9 this year when Cooke took collapsed dog Kane to Gateshead’s PDSA Pet Hospital.

The court in Newton Aycliffe heard the RSPCA were contacted and found the dog was extremely emaciated, skeletal and unable to move or stand.

A second dog, Roxy, was standing but in a similar physical condition with her rib cage, spine and hips showing.

The following day inspectors visited the defendants at their home address on Church Street, Seaham, and found a third dog, Boss, which was “clearly emaciated” with its bones protruding and a fourth dog, Suki, in better condition than the other pets.

Mr Campbell said inspectors, who took the animals away, found mouldy faeces in the house, items lying around which could harm the dogs, as well as a tank with dead fish in it.

Vets who assessed the dogs concluded they would “undoubtedly” would have had several months without adequate nutrition.

One said: “Kane was produced at the point of death. If he hadn’t been presented then I am certain he would have died.”

The court was told both defendants claimed they had made efforts to feed the pets - with Cooke claiming to spend £200 a month on food.

A probation officer rejected Cooke’s claims he had called a vet friend who suggested giving the dogs tripe and dog biscuits.

Tom Morgan, mitigating, said the pair had a “great fondness for animals” and rescued the dogs in a bid to give them better care.

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

They were sentenced to 12 weeks in custody, suspended for 18 months, banned from keeping animals for ten years, ordered to carry out ten rehabilitation days, complete 300 unpaid work hours and pay vet fees and costs of £715 each.