Woman who ran illegal Gloucestershire puppy farm banned from keeping dogs

The dogs were kept in filthy conditions on the farm in Blakeney

A 74-year-old woman who operated an illegal puppy farm has been given a suspended prison sentence and banned from keeping dogs for life.

Margaret Davies had 33 dogs on her farm in Blakeney when council and police officers attended on 1 July 2021.

Dogs were found being kept in soiled pens and cages with no access to water.

Davies was given a 36-week jail term suspended for 18 months after admitting five animal welfare charges at Cheltenham Magistrates Court on Monday.

She was also ordered to pay court costs of £9,104.11.

The court heard that police and Forest of Dean District Council officers attended Davies' property following reports she had been running an unlicensed puppy farm.

They found two sheds divided into pens that had a strong smell of urine and faeces.

Many of the dogs had litters of puppies, but had no clean bedding and little natural light.

One puppy was seized as it appeared lifeless and Davies was served with an improvement notice, but had made little effort to comply with it when inspectors returned 14 days later, the court heard.

Police and council officers found two sheds divided into pens that had a strong smell of urine and faeces

All of the dogs were then removed from her property. Two puppies died and the rest were rehomed.

Davies, who now lives in Barry, South Wales, admitted three counts of causing unnecessary suffering to three dogs by failing to seek veterinary treatment for them.

She also admitted failing to meet the needs of 27 dogs and puppies in her care by failing to provide adequate drinking water, clean bedding, a suitable diet and protection from pain, suffering, injury and disease.

A compensation order of £17,820 imposed last year to cover the cost of kennelling and veterinary treatment for the dogs has still not been paid, the court heard.

Corgis, terriers and French bulldogs were among the dogs found

Aled Owen, defending, said Davies began dog breeding to help the dairy farm's finances.

He said the venture had initially "thrived" but she had struggled when new legislation was introduced.

Mr Owen said: "Davies increasingly found the paperwork side of the business more and more difficult, which coincided with her husband becoming ill at around the time of the visit of the inspectors and the loss of a younger family member.

"Davies admits that there were issues that needed to be attended too, but she was juggling so much in her private life that something had to give."

Judge Nicholas Wattam told Davies said the conditions on the farm had caused serious injury to a number of dogs.

"This is a case where there was prolonged ill-treatment with the animals in your care and this continued, despite being given advice from animal welfare officers," he added.

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