Rosemary, 49, and Paul Wiggin, 53, left puppies outside in the cold and rain while other pregnant bitches were kept in their 'filthy and unhygienic' house.
RSPCA inspectors were called to their property on July 31 last year after a member of the public expressed concern over their welfare.
A court heard officials found feces ground into carpets, fly eggs in food that had been left out and some dogs soaking wet and suffering without shelter in the garden.
The pair denied failing to provide adequate living conditions for their animals but were found guilty by JPs sitting at Burton Magistrates Court.
Mr Wiggin was given a 12 month conditional discharge, a 12 month ban on keeping dogs and ordered to pay £7,000 costs.
Ms Wiggin was sentenced to a three year conditional discharge, told to pay £1,000 in costs and was also banned from keeping dogs for a year.
Sentencing, District Judge Shamim Qureshi said although the case did not involve cruelty, the pair had shown a complete failure to own up to what they had done.
RSPCA Inspector Jayne Bashford told the court she found an 'chaotic' atmosphere when she visited the home in Burntwood, Staffordshire, last summer.
She said the dogs were removed and with the arrival of new puppies the number has increased to 44 and the bill for boarding them has come to £75,000..
Inspector Bashford added: 'The whole house was very, very dirty.
'There appeared to be an awful lot of ground in feces and dirt that covered the carpet. The conditions we found the dogs in were wholly inappropriate.
'There were numerous hazards in the garden including items in a shed stained with feces and bones in the garden presenting choking hazards.
'The puppies were cold, wet and whining, with no clean and comfortable resting place. I have no doubt they were suffering.
'Whilst I sympathize and understand the defendants did love their animals, they refused to accept any assistance in improving their welfare, and therefore it would have been wholly unacceptable for the dogs to have remained in these conditions.'
Mr Wiggin today remained unrepentant and said he had been invited by the RSPCA to keep seven of the dogs as long as the rest could be taken for rehoming
He added: 'To my knowledge there is no law defining the amount of dogs you are allowed to keep. If our home is good enough for seven dogs, it is good enough for all of them.
'The RSPCA is a charity and has no expertise in animals whatsoever, yet they tell you how to look after animals.
'I have had pets for 48 years, and never been subjected to what I have in the last 11 months. Anyone who has got so-called hazards either in the garden or home - even a dog bone - is likely to be subjected to the same charge we were.'
(Daily Mail - July 7, 2015)
No comments:
Post a Comment