A woman neglected her dog so badly it had to be put down.

Amanda Cleghorn, 39, of Glenrothes, Fife, left Staffordshire bull terrier Jasmine to suffer with an infection and a chronic disease without seeking veterinary help.

She failed to provide treatment despite the dog having a chronic joint disease, osteoarthritis, for months.

Jasmine also suffered from a womb infection for weeks and on inspection was found to be barely able to walk, with a bloated stomach and discharge hanging off of her.

Cleghorn pleaded guilty to causing 11-year-old Jasmine to suffer unnecessarily and was sentenced to 90 hours of community service at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.

Scottish SPCA inspector Andrew Gray said: "When I was called out to the property I was very concerned as Jasmine was in a lot of pain and could barely walk.

"She was very thin with some bloating at the stomach area and also had discharge hanging from her rear end.

"Jasmine had been suffering from chronic painful osteoarthritis for months, if not years, and had been suffering from her womb infection for a number of weeks."

He added: "Sadly, due to Jasmine's condition and poor quality of life, a vet decided the kindest thing for her was to be put to sleep to prevent further suffering.

"We welcome the fact that Cleghorn has been dealt with by the court and the sentence handed down.

"We hope she will give serious consideration about her suitability to care for other animals in the future."

The Scottish SPCA is currently campaigning for the maximum jail sentence for animal abusers to be increased from 12 months to five years.