Unlicensed puppy-breeder made £8,000 in a month

Licensing officers searched the home of dog-breeder Stacey Emma

A woman who made £8,000 in a month from illegally breeding dogs has been fined.

Stacey Emma, 40, previously of West Butterwick in North Lincolnshire, pleaded guilty at Grimsby Magistrates' Court to breeding and selling puppies without a licence.

Evidence showed Emma had bred 10 litters of puppies since 2018, with some dogs advertised for more than £1,000, North Lincolnshire Council said.

At the hearing on Monday, she was fined £1,280 and told to pay costs of £750 and a victim surcharge of £512.

The prosecution followed a 17-month investigation by the council's licensing officers, alongside Humberside Police and the RSPCA.

Emma bred dogs including dachshunds, German shepherds and labrador retrievers.

Her home was searched and evidence, including banks statements, was seized.

Despite this, she continued her activities by changing her name on advertisements in a bid to avoid detection, the council said.

'Extremely challenging'

A spokesperson said it was the council's first successful prosecution under animal welfare regulations introduced in 2018.

Breeders must apply for a licence from the council, which costs £1,136, including vet fees.

This applies where a person breeds three or more litters in a 12-month period, or breeds and sells dogs as a business.

The spokesperson said finding proof of unlicensed breeding could be "extremely challenging", as officers relied on complainants coming forward.

Those caught breeding illegally risked a fine, imprisonment or both.

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