CONVICTED (2018) | Maxine Cammock, born May 1964, of Foss Farm, Dyke Grove, Bourne PE10 0BL – kept dogs, chickens and pigs in horrific conditions; 176 animals found dead.
RSPCA Inspector Kate Burris initially attended Maxine Cammock’s farm after some of Cammock’s pigs escaped, but discovered a scene of unimaginable horror in which 176 animals were found dead and dozens more living in shocking conditions.
Inspector Burris said: “I went to Cammock’s home in October last year [2017] after a call from a police officer who had been involved in rounding up a number of escaped pigs and returning them to her.
“The officer was extremely concerned by what he had seen, and rang us.
“It is a large property with several buildings on site. There were the remains of dead animals everywhere, most in such a state of decomposition it was impossible to establish how they had died.
“Several collie type dogs were in a shocking state in filthy pens in one of the buildings. Two of the dogs were dead, one in a pen with two other dogs, Julie and Martin.
“A pig who had eaten a bucket of rat poison was dead in another of the buildings. Cammock realised what the pig had done and, rather than seek vet treatment, locked him inside.”
Only 25 animals were found alive and were immediately removed.
However, a month later even more animals were found in distress including chickens who had been packed into plastic containers with the lids weighted down.
A total of 55 eggs had been hatched and the chicks were seen living in cardboard boxes and containers.
The charges made to Maxine Cammock
- between 10 September and 10 October 2017, causing unnecessary suffering to seven dogs by failing to provide adequate nutrition;
- between 10 September and 10 October 2017, failing to meet the needs of seven dogs by housing them in a urine and faeces contaminated environment;
- on dates before 10 October 2017, failing to meet the needs of a pig by failing to house him in an environment without rat poison and failing to protect him from pain, suffering, injury or disease once he had ingested rat poison;
- between 27 October and 8 November 2017, failing to meet the needs of 10 chickens by housing them in an environment that didn’t allow them to stand properly or stretch their wings and did not provide adequate food or drinking water;
- between 27 October and 8 November 2017, failing to meet the needs of 55 chicks by housing them in cardboard boxes or plastic containers which did not provide a suitable environment for their needs.
Cammock pleaded guilty to five offences contrary to the Animal Welfare Act 2006 relating to a total of nine dogs, a pig, ten chickens and 55 chicks.
Sentencing: 24-month community order; 30-day rehabilitation requirement; total of £335 costs and charges. Lifetime disqualification from keeping animals.