Staffordshire bull-terrier Aikita who was neglected and left in a room filled with her own waste. Photo: Central News

A mother and her two daughters who starved a Staffordshire bull-terrier to the point where the dog ate her own bed have avoided jail.

Amy Martin and Chloe Martin were charged with neglecting a dog in their Tottenham home. Photo: Central

Diane Martin, 55, Amy Martin, 21, and Chloe Martin, 22, kept Akita in a room littered with her own waste at their home in Somerset Close, Tottenham.

Akita was discovered emaciated and with overgrown claws in September last year by RSPCA inspector Virginia Ross.

Ms Ross found a baby gate had been placed across the door of the room to prevent the pooch from escaping.

She could clearly see the animal’s hips, ribs and spine protruding from underneath its fur, Highbury Corner Magistrates heard.

Prosecutor Mark Jones said Chloe told the inspector that Akita had belonged to her sister’s ex-boyfriend.

The court heard that they intended to sell the animal but then neglected her for a month until she was taken away on September 18.

A forensic veterinary surgeon examined the dog and found that she weighed just 5.7kg - almost half her normal body weight.

Mr Jones added that the pooch was so desperate to find food that it had started trying to digest her bed.

“Whilst at the surgery the animal was passing plastic in its faeces...It doesn’t get any worse than that,” he said.

By November last year, Akita’s body weight had increased to 10.65 kilos and she has a new owner.

Addressing Amy Martin, chair of the bench Anita Morgan said: “You purposefully treated this dog in an appalling way.”

Amy was sentenced to 12 weeks imprisonment, suspended for a year, and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

She was banned from owning or keeping a dog for five years.

Chloe, who is four months pregnant, was made the subject of a 12-month community order and an eight-week electronically monitored curfew.

Their mother was made subject of a 12-month community order and ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.

Each admitted one count of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, and two of failing to fulfil the duties of a person responsible for an animal’s welfare.