Peter Hughes of Flintshire has been passed a suspended prison sentence and banned from keeping dogs.

The alleged puppy farmer who kept 64 dogs in diabolical conditions on his sheep farm when he only had a licence to keep 12.  Of the 64 dogs, 48 were puppies.

Peter Hughes admitted causing unnecessary suffering, breeding without a licence and breaching his pet shop licence.  His three month jail term was suspended for two years and he was banned from owning a dog for 10 years.

He was also banned from applying for a licence to breed puppies for 10 years and was ordered to pay £6,000 costs.

Peter Hughes who represented himself after his defence barrister withdrew fom the case, was described in court as a part-time sheep farmer who sold puppies to supplement his income.  He appealed for his own dog Meg to be returned but that was rejected. 

Puppy_alert comment

Puppy_alert had received complaints from puppy purchasers about the premises and the conditions that the puppies were living in.  The Council were advised. 

Why do Councils issue licenses to premises and then not ensure that  welfare standards are always mantained?  Whilst action has now been taken it's often too slow allowing much suffering to take place in the interim period.

If you visit a premises advertising puppies for sale and you are concerned with the conditions that the puppies or breeding bitches are living in then please contact the local Council Environmental Health Department and Puppy_alert.

Please do not purchase a puppy from premises that you have concerns over. You will not be saving that puppy by purchasing it but subjecting many more to the same misery.  Please just walk away and do not buy, but tell someone, the Council, Puppy_alert, RSPCA, so action can be taken against rogue breeders and traders.