Pamela Crisp-Beard and her daughter Maria Crisp-Beard appeared at Skegness Magistrates Court as a trial continued into six offences all relating to animal welfare. They deny all the allegations.
Pamela Crisp-Beard was Mayor of Horncastle between May 1997 and May 1998 and was a town councillor until 2011.
The charges relate to over 50 animals including 15 rabbits, a golden pheasant, two guinea pigs, five mice, two rats, a cat, two dogs, four ducks, a goose and 22 chickens.
The court heard that conditions at the Linden Road two-story house were so bad there was a strong smell of feces and urine.
It was said the house was dark, cold and cluttered with cages and hutches stacked on top of each other. Animal feces was even found on cutlery, the magistrates were told.
It was said many of the animals did not have reasonable access to food, they were living on dirty straw and that where water was provided it was dirty.
RSPCA inspectors first visited the property on January 16 this year where the animals were seen and five animal warning notices were issued.
RSPCA inspector Rebecca Lowe told the court: “It was completely cluttered. There was not much general walking space, there were things about everywhere. The premises was not clean. There was a smell from the front door of ammonia and feces.”
Ms Lowe said cockerels had been placed in cat baskets stacked on top of each other.
She said: “We asked to remove them immediately and take them outside. I saw three cockerels come out of one of the baskets. Cat baskets are not suitable for one cockerel let alone three.”
The RSPCA returned to the property on January 29 but were told to return the next day.
They returned on January 30 accompanied by two police officers.
Ms Lowe said the conditions did not look any different apart from some cat baskets had been removed from the kitchen, some animals had clean straw but piled on dirty straw and the pheasant had been moved from the utility room to a shed.
Annaliese Leslie, who at the time was working for Marshlands Vets in Boston, was called to assess the animals.
Based on her report that the animals would suffer if they continued to stay there, the animals were seized by police.
Prosecuting for the RSPCA, Beris Brickles, asked Miss Leslie on the suitability of conditions for the animals.
Annaliese Leslie, who at the time was working for Marshlands Vets in Boston, was called to assess the animals.
Based on her report that the animals would suffer if they continued to stay there, the animals were seized by police.
Prosecuting for the RSPCA, Beris Brickles, asked Miss Leslie on the suitability of conditions for the animals.
She told the court one shed containing five roaming rabbits was knee-deep in compacted faeces.
She said: “It was very, very deep compacted feces - It was knee deep. The rabbits had created a network of tunnels through this. You had to take a step up to get into the shed. It was about 18 inches deep I would say.”
Speaking about the pheasant she said the bird was extremely dirty which was not natural. She said: “It would need a bath over some time to help get himself clean.”
The court heard the RSPCA inspectors had struggled to identify the bird.
The vet added: “The house was very dark, dirty and there was extreme level of clutter. Surfaces were dirty and there was cutlery with animal faeces.”
The court heard a number of the rabbits were underweight and two had signs of urine scald (urine burn) where their fur was coming out.
Miss Leslie told the court this could have been prevented from being in a clean environment.
The rabbits had since put on weight after being rescued.
She said a cat was found to be greasy and dirty and was stained from urine.
She said: “For him to be exposed to so much dirt and feces to be dyed by it, than that is a long time issue.”
The court also heard a rat was living in a cage smaller than its body length.
Ms Leslie said there was plenty of advice available from vets, the RSPCA and the Defra code of conduct for people to get advice on the best conditions for their pets.
In cross examination, Ruth Harrop questioned the access to clean water issue stating that some animals choose to drink outside.
The court heard none of the animals were found to be dehydrated and apart from two rabbits there was no clinical concern found in the other animals.
A parrot was the only animal not seized. Two ferrets had been rehomed by the Crisp-Beards by the time of the RSPCA’s final visit.
The case was adjourned until Tuesday when the defence case will be heard.
Pamela Crisp-Beard also faces two charges of being in charge of a dog which was dangerously out of control in a public place.
(Lincolnshire Echo - Dec 13, 2014)
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