Rat breeder Keitha Webb, 30, left 21 of the critters without food and water for more than two weeks when she moved from her Sidey Street home in mid-February last year.

Seven cages of dead rats were found by Otago SPCA inspectors on March 4 last year.

The inspectors found six alive but emaciated and dehydrated rats, clawing at their cages to escape.

Four cats and a kitten were also spotted hanging around hungry outside the house.

Webb’s former live-in partner, Alan Jenkins, rang the SPCA on returning to the flat after weeks away and making the grisly find.

The district court slapped the pair with a fine, community work and a ban on owning animals.

Last Friday, it popped Webb in the clink for four weeks for not doing her community work. Webb said she couldn’t do the 125 hours because of bad health, but didn’t supply a doctor’s certificate.

The SPCA gave the survivor rats to new owners. Four rats have since died of old age; the other two are believed to be living it up in Central Otago.

It’s good to see the courts taking animal cruelty seriously, says SPCA senior inspector Stephanie Saunders.

“We know rats aren’t the ideal pet, but we believe the suffering is the same whether you are talking about rats or dogs or horses,” she says.