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Haverfordwest magistrates have fined a Moylegrove man £750 with costs of £1,265.25 for breeding dogs without a licence.
The court heard that Animal Welfare officers from Pembrokeshire County Council and a Vet visited Foel Hendre, the home of Howell Davies, on 24th September 2007 with a Magistrates warrant.
They found 20 adult dogs, 5 maiden bitches and three litters of puppies at the premises.
Mr Davies appeared before magistrates on Wednesday (20th February) and pleaded guilty to a charge of unlicensed dog breeding.
As well as the fine and costs, magistrates added a surcharge of £15 to be paid towards the victims of the crime and witnesses, making a total payable of £2,030.25, which was ordered to be paid within 28 days.
The court also heard that following the visit, Mr Davies expressed a willingness to become licensed and undertook the necessary work required.
Nigel Watts, Trading Standards and Animal Welfare Manager, said: "We are actively looking for unlicensed dog breeders within Pembrokeshire as West Wales has a bad reputation for this trade.
"Unfortunately this is mainly caused by unlicensed breeders who often do not reach the standards we require for licensed premises."
Mr Davies is now licensed by Pembrokeshire County Council to operate a dog breeding establishment.
This licence currently costs £140 and applications and advice are welcomed by the Animal Welfare team on 01437 764551.
5:03pm Friday 22nd February 2008
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Prison sentence for puppy tradersA couple were sentenced today at Leeds Crown Court after pleading guilty to conspiracy to defraud following an investigation into a puppy farm by North Yorkshire County Council Trading Standards. David John Thomas, 46, of Armthorpe, Doncaster and Dagmar Verity Blick, 24, of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, sold puppies from Misterton Carr Farm, Misterton, Nottinghamshire, through a website called "Puppy Paradise" and from small ads in newspapers.Thomas was sentenced to 18mths imprisonment, to run consecutively to an existing 6mths suspended sentence, and Blick was sentenced to 9mths, suspended for 18mths, and 60 hours unpaid community work. The Judge also directed that a Proceeds of Crime Act confiscation investigation be conducted in respect of Thomas. North Yorkshire County Council Trading Standards and Regulatory Services began investigating the business after complaints were received from consumers about fake pedigree certificates, non-pedigree and sick puppies. Following a warrant executed at the couple's business premises in May 2006, offences were found to have been committed throughout the Yorkshire and Humberside region. Some consumers paid up to £900 for puppies they believed would be pedigree and supplied with pedigree certificates. A computer seized from the couple revealed the same pedigree certificate had been used for four separate puppies of three different breeds, including a Chihuahua, a Boxer and two Labradors. Other certificates revealed bitches had allegedly given birth to two litters within 15 days of each other. In another case, the same certificates were supplied for puppies born between November 2005 and January 2006. North Yorkshire County Councillor Clare Wood, Executive Member for Trading Standards and Regulatory Services, said: "This was a deliberate fraud aimed at consumers who wanted pedigree dogs to show and breed from. Rogue traders must be aware that we will take strong enforcement action against them if they target North Yorkshire consumers." In sentencing, Mr Recorder Hedworth QC said the defendants had carried out "a deliberate fraud, which cannot and will not be tolerated". He also stated the enterprise had resulted in "substantial financial benefit, which would have continued without trading standards intervention." Ends
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Mar 16 2008 By Steve Dinneen
A CALLOUS puppy farmer has dodged an immediate ban on selling sick dogs.
Liz Baird faced court after a flood of complaints about the health of the pups she sells from Hillbank Kennels near Hurlford, Ayrshire.
But she was granted a week's extension to defend her business, although Kilmarnock sheriff Iona McDonald warned she was likely to impose a ban on Tuesday. The sheriff said Baird's dogs must be "fit and healthy for a period of four weeks following purchase".
We have received almost 70 complaints about Baird - dubbed Cruella the Vile - from angry customers who bought sick or dying pups.
The legal action was brought by East Ayrshire Council trading standards.
Baird told the court: "I'm a reputable dealer. There isn't a breeder in the country who hasn't had some pups that are ill or die.
"If a cow dies in a field nobody has a go at the farmer. It's just a part of the industry I'm in."
Tuesday's hearing will also decide whether action will be taken over allegedly misleading adverts and bounced cheques written by Baird. She also faces a criminal trial over claims made in puppy adverts.
Mar 9 2008 By Billy Paterson
Exclusive Dog Dealer In The Dock
A PUPPY farmer is facing more than 50 claims that she conned customers with dying dogs after being exposed by the Sunday Mail.
Liz Baird appeared in court last week after families claimed she deliberately sold them puppies that were terminally ill.
And a flood of heartbroken pet owners have come forward since we revealed how customers paid hundreds of pounds to buy the dogs from Baird.
Hundreds more were spent on vet fees for animals bought from Hillbank Kennels, near Hurlford, Ayrshire.
More than 20 new cases emerged last week - taking the number of complaints to 55.
One of the new customers with horror stories was John Madden, 46, of Renfrew.
He said: "I bought a Cavalier King Charles pup from Baird for our 14-year-old daughter.
"What we didn't know at the time was it had a heart defect. It only lasted 14 weeks before we had to have it put down."
Ann Hodgens, 47, of Stepps, near Glasgow, said: "We bought a Cavalier King Charles puppy from Hillbank for s500. She had an upper respiratory disorder and a temperature. She fell and broke two leg bones.
"We spent s2000 on treatment for her but have not received any compensation from Baird, who told us the dog was registered with the Kennel Club when she wasn't."
Jennifer Thomson, 22, of Kilmarnock, said: "I bought a Cavalier King Charles puppy from Baird for s450.
"She was skin and bone and had a chest infection. I spent over s400 to save my puppy's life.
"I have raised a petition asking for Hillbank to be closed and I have over 300 signatures."
Al ison McMillan, 32, of Hamilton, said: "I bought a Shi Tzu puppy from Baird for my daughter's third birthday.
"A few days later it developed a growth in its tummy which burst.
I only had the pup a week and spent hundreds on vet's bills."
Baird's pastor husband Thomas - attached to the Assemblies of God Pentecostal Church at Johnstone, Renfrewshire - plays an active role in the puppy farm.
Liz Baird, 48, appeared at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Friday to face two charges of breaching the Trade Descriptions Act.
She is accused of advertising and selling Cavalier King Charles puppies, falsely stating they were registered with the Kennel Club.
In a separate civil action brought before the same court last week, East Ayrshire Council Trading Standards Department are trying to get an enforcement order to stop her selling ill pups.
An East Ayrshire Council spokeswoman said: "We are seeking an enforcement order barring her from engaging in the malpractices that have been complained about."
But Baird claims she does not sell sick dogs.
She said: "The puppies I sell are all in good health. Some are traumatised in transit and can die.
"I never claimed the dogs were registered with the Kennel Club.
They are registered with the Dog Lovers' Association."
SUNDAY EMAIL
b.paterson@sundaymail.co.uk
Mar 2 2008 By Billy Paterson
Exclusive Rogue Breeder Faces Court For Pocketing Thousands By Selling Dying Dogs As Pets
A PREACHER'S wife is being probed over claims she raked in thousands selling dying puppies as family pets.
Liz Baird breeds shih-tzus and King Charles spaniels at her puppy farm next to husband Pastor Thomas' church.
But she faces court after at least 35 customers complained they were ripped off and left heartbroken.
Little Alana Riddle, five, was devastated when her shih-tzu Pippin died a day after being bought from Baird's Hillbank Kennels near Hurlford, Ayrshire. Her mum and dad - Jill and Colin - splashed out £475 on the pup as a birthday present for the youngster.
Jill, 35, of Glasgow, said: "He was really unwell when we got him home, just lying and whining all the time.
"The next morning we took him to the vet who treated him for dehydration but he got worse. As we were driving back to the vet, Pippin died in Colin's arms."
The Riddles bought another pup, Milo, from a different breeder and contacted Baird to complain.
She agreed to a refund but the cheque bounced.
Jessie Clark, 52, of Perth, is £900 out of pocket after she and friend Mary Meldrum bought two King Charles pups from Baird.
Jessie said: "They became sick and we took them to the vet who explained that one had an upper respiratory infection while both had ear mites."
The dogs' conditions worsened so Jessie returned them to Baird - whose refund cheque again bounced.
Jessie said: "She must be stopped from selling sick puppies to unsuspecting people. She is trading in misery."
Baird and her husband, who is attached to the Assemblies of God Pentecostal Church at Johnstone, Renfrewshire, live in a house beside the kennels.
Two years ago Thomas Baird, 49, stood trial at the High Court after a neighbour claimed he threatened to kill her with a gun but he was cleared.
Last week the pastor posed as Baird's brother and told Sunday Mail reporters she was in Ireland.
He dismissed Jessie and the Riddles' complaints as "a witch-hunt" and added: "The puppies I sell are all in good health."
East Ayrshire Council said criminal proceedings were being taken against Baird over allegations that she falsely claimed pups were Kennel Club registered.
The council are also taking civil action to prevent her running a puppy farm.
'She must be stopped selling sick pups..she is trading in misery'
Duped Jessie Clark
SUNDAY EMAIL
b.paterson@sundaymail.co.uk
09:00 - 05 February 2008
Thirty-six dogs and puppies valued at £15,000 have been stolen from a farm in Carmarthen.Dyfed-Powys Police say some of the puppies stolen from Pengoiallt Farm, Felingwm Uchaf were just a day old when dog snatchers struck on Saturday night.
The dogs were housed in an outbuilding, and used for breeding and sold as pets.
Stolen all together were five Beagle bitches and 23 puppies, two Jack Russell bitches and three puppies, one King Charles Cavalier bitch and two Yorkshire terrier bitches. Farm owner Tegwyn Jones said the theft was devastating.
| Woman given lifetime animal ban | ||
Johanna Price, 71, of Boscombe in Bournemouth, kept the dogs, six birds and a cat in cages "stacked-up" in her lounge, bedroom, bathroom and shed. A court heard that the Dorset woman sold some of them for up to £475 each but never allowed anyone into her home. She was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to animals and of breeding dogs without a licence. Bournemouth Magistrates' Court heard on Wednesday that Ms Price fed them scraps of food including a raw chicken carcass and leftovers from Chinese restaurants. A customer reported Ms Price when she saw her swing a dog by its paw. | ||
Buying from puppy farms is not a rescue, but is driving a cruel industry forward, warns Suhaila Kassim
By Suhaila Kassim
Sunday July 29 2007
THE Dublin and Wicklow branches of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals recently discovered and rescued dogs from a horrendous site of puppy breeding.
This 'puppy farm' was found to have accommodated nearly 80 dogs that were mass-produced in order to sell them on as pure-bred designer puppies.
To unknowing buyers, who did not realise the appalling conditions that the poor animals were stashed in, it might seem idyllic to obtain a puppy of any breed for a lower price in comparison to reputable breeders. Unfortunately, there exists a number of these puppy mills that store dogs in overcrowded confinement, only to discard them after they have thoroughly exhausted their breeding capabilities.
The dogs in this case were found locked up in crates, covered in their own faeces. The dreadful conditions were exemplified by the almost absolute lack of food and clean water. They were kept in the darkness and had also contracted illnesses of all sorts, including flea infestations, cataracts and diseased teeth.
Puppy farms have a notorious reputation for grossly over-breeding females to maintain a high turnover. A tax-free business, these inhumane activities have made it an extremely lucrative industry that provides high profit margins to the farmers.
Earlier this year three men from Co Down were convicted for breeding dogs in this manner. They had kept more than 100 pedigree dogs in rat-infested concrete pits where the only food was cattle carcasses. The veterinarian who investigated the scene claimed it was "akin to lions tearing apart their prey". Many of the dogs had to be put down because of the suffering inflicted on them.
More recently, two men in Co Carlow were convicted when an ISPCA inspector discovered some of their dogs dead and the remaining dogs in a very serious condition and requiring immediate attention.
Voluntary groups such as Paws, Ash and the West Cork Animal Welfare Group have long attempted to mitigate this problem. However, without decent funding, and with problems of understaffing, it can be difficult to tackle the issue on a large scale. A lot of these animals need permanent homes to provide them with sufficient care and attention. A common misconception is that purchasing dogs from puppy farms is helping to rescue them, when it is in fact driving the cruel industry forward. Demand only encourages supply, as far as the farmers are concerned.
Last Sunday, Fine Gael Wicklow deputy Andrew Doyle called on the Minister for the Environment to introduce regulation governing puppy farming. In the past a working group was set up to address the issues with the management of dog breeding farms. The group recommended the introduction of a form of inspection and licensing measures to tackle cruelty on dog-breeding farms. In 2006 minister Dick Roche announced that these new regulations would be implemented. However, no proper legislation has yet been put in place to protect these unfortunate animals from being woefully mistreated. While the practices of the farm owners are not orthodox, they are also not entirely illegal, which makes it all the more difficult for organisations like the ISPCA to shut down such operations.
- Suhaila Kassim
GYPSIES Steven and Sally Griggs have vowed to fight the district council decision to refuse planning permission for their puppy farm for the second time.
The couple had applied for retrospective planning permission for a residential gypsy site and associated land to breed and kennel dogs at their home of Oak Tree Farm in Kington St Michael.
They had originally applied for the permission in June 2003 but were refused because of the affect on the environment and the traffic it would cause.
Last month the puppy farm was raided amid claims of neglect and the RSPCA subsequently removed 23 dogs from the site.
Mr Griggs, said: "We will fight this all the way and will put in an appeal at the earliest opportunity.
"We don't have legal aid and so this is costing us a lot of money that we just don't have.
"My wife is having to take anti-depressants because she cannot take all of this stress.
"We have had someone from every government agency come out to inspect the property and I still can't understand their problems.
"We have every right to be here."
The Griggs' argued that there was nowhere else for them to go and that they have always lived in the area.
In the application, Mrs Griggs also argues that she has a medical condition for which she needs to be in constant communication with her doctor at the Hathaway surgery.
Many people in Kington St Michael have campaigned against the plans, claiming the gypsy site is an eyesore and the noise from the dogs there is unbearable.
A spokesperson for the parish council said: "We object in the strongest possible terms to this application.
"Since the establishment of the puppy farming there have been continuous complaints as to barking and noise that is audible to the majority of residents.
"We have also received complaints from local residents that Mr Griggs has made threatening and intimidating remarks should they complain about the current planning application."
Mr Griggs is now in consultation with his planning advisor who believes they have a strong chance of winning an appeal.
The family, including the couple's daughter Lucy and her partner Lee, moved from a previous gypsy site in Christian Malford a few years ago.
5:04pm Thursday 22nd November 2007
THE ABOVE DETAILS WERE TAKEN FROM THE GAZETTE AND HERALD, WILTS
From the archive, first published Tuesday 3rd Apr 2007.
A WOMAN convicted of selling sick and dying puppies three years ago is facing another Trading Standards investigation.
Loretta Bastin, who owns Hot Dog Kennels at Dobe Farm, Wickford, is being investigated after a family claimed she sold them a dog with a heart defect.
Emma Berham, 22, who lives with her three year-old son and parents, paid £365 in January for a pedigree Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. But the dog, which they named Jessica, died just six weeks later from a heart defect.
The family has complained to Trading Standards, saying the puppy must have been sick when they bought it and it should never have been sold in the first place.
Miss Berham said: "We took Jessica to the vet the morning before she died and he told us buying her was like buying a car without an engine.
"He basically said she had a serious heart condition and should never have been sold.
"The whole family is absolutely devastated. We saved up a long time to buy a puppy."
Mrs Bastin was prosecuted by Essex County Council in 2004 after Trading Standards received a series of complaints about puppies who were ill or died shortly after they were bought.
She signed a court order, following a prosecution, obliging her to ensure the puppies she sold were in good health.
Mrs Bastin told the Echo: "Cavaliers are notorious for having heart murmurs. I wouldn't dream of selling a puppy to anyone unless I thought it would be in good health.
But she added: "I am not a vet - I wouldn't know if they had heart defects or not."
Mrs Berham, from Chingford, London, claims Jessica developed "kennel cough" shortly after she was bought and quickly developed breathing problems.
She said she had been offered a replacement puppy by Mrs Bastin's daughter, but had instead received a full refund.
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