A MAN has been found guilty of abandoning two pets after he left them alone in a house for almost four days.

Magistrates heard yesterday that Roy Bell, 29, of Dale Road, Chilton, left a cat and a gerbil without fresh food or water for 91.4 hours at his former address in Darlington.

RSCPA inspectors were called to his home in Mallory Court on Thursday by a concerned member of the public.

Magistrates at Bishop Auckland heard that inspectors placed adhesive tape over the lock and frame of both doors to the property and visited each day until Sunday, September 16, to check if the seals had been broken.

Three inspectors, Gary Palmer, Gavin Butterfield and Christine Guy, all said the tape remained intact and were confident that was a clear indicator that the house had not been entered over the four days.

They said that a cat had been seen inside the house and fed through a slightly open window on one visit.

A gerbil kept in a cage was seen until Saturday, when the lid appeared dislodged and the gerbil was missing.

PC Jonathan Stoker visited the house next day and gave permission to Mr Palmer to enter and rescue the cat. The gerbil was not found.

Kevin Ross, defending, said Bell claimed he visited on three occasions to feed the cat but discovered the gerbil had died and disposed of it on Sunday.

Magistrates found Bell guilty on two charges of abandoning an animal likely to cause unnecessary suffering.

The case was adjourned until September 15 for reports.