Unlicensed Plymouth breeder fined after heavily pregnant dog left in filthy caravan
An unlicensed breeder from Plympton Hill has been fined over £5,500 and 120 hours of unpaid work after illegally bred dogs were found in dire conditions.
Owen Lowry, 35 pleaded guilty to unlicensed dog breeding and two counts of animal welfare offences at Plymouth Magistrates Court on Thursday (July 28).
A warrant was sent to his address following welfare complaints from members of the public in December 2020, and again in January 2021.
A number of poorly kept dogs were discovered on the premises, some in filthy kennels and others in cages far too small for the animals.
A heavily pregnant dog had been left in a cluttered caravan, covered in faeces and urine.
Straw was sparsely provided for the dogs, but not enough to provide cushioning.
The court heard that in October 2018, Lowry had contacted Plymouth City Council to enquire about his licensing responsibilities, following the enforcement of new regulations.
Despite being told he must not breed dogs until he was licenced, he continued to breed and sell at least 11 litters of puppies, priced between £600 and £2,200 per dog.
Copies of blank breeding application forms were found on his premises, along with Government breeding guidance.
Lowry admitted in interview that he didn’t complete the forms as he knew he “couldn’t meet the requirements.”
A person requires a licence for dog breeding if they breed more than two litters in a 12-month period or if they make profit from the sale of dogs.
When a license is issued, a star rating is given based on welfare standards found at the time of the inspection. The star rating system is a national system to provide customers with information about the standard of breeding and care.
Councillor Mark Shayer, Deputy Leader of Plymouth City Council, said he was appalled by the trial.
"As a dog owner myself, I am appalled that there are people who treat animals like this and I fully support the team using every piece of legislation they can to keep these kind of people out of the marketplace,” he said.
"Let this be a reminder to people who breed dogs without a licence or keep their animals in squalid conditions: we are serious about animal welfare. If you do not operate by the rules, we will investigate and we will prosecute.
"Residents of Plymouth deserve peace of mind while buying a pet and that is what these regulations give them."
Magistrates court sentenced Lowry to undertake 120 hours of unpaid work and handed him a 12-month disqualification order, banning him from selling dogs.
He was also ordered to pay costs of £5,630.85 and an additional £95 victim surcharge penalty.