CONVICTED (2021) | Steve Flitton, Susie Tower and Leanne ‘Lea’ Richardson all of Gade Valley Cottages, Dagnall Road, Hemel Hempstead HP1 3BW – kept starving dogs in tiny crates.
Flitton, Tower and Richardson were banned from keeping dogs for life after pleading guilty to four counts of allowing an animal to suffer unnecessarily.
Dacorum Borough Council successfully brought a prosecution against the vile trio in relation to their mistreatment of four dogs removed from their home in December 2020.
All pleaded guilty to eight offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
Council Animal Welfare Officers first started attending the property in July 2020 and found it to be in a filthy and hoarded condition. Several of the dogs were found in small crates and were left to urinate inside the crates.
During one visit, an officer from the council observed two dogs urinating through the crates and onto the carpet.
Following unsuccessful attempts to engage with Flitton, Towers and Richardson, the council executed a warrant under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 on December 21, 2020.
Four dogs were taken into possession and removed from the property to safeguard their welfare.
The dogs were found to be in an emaciated and poor condition with one being so neglected she sadly passed away.
A second dog was signed over to Dacorum Borough Council, and following her recovery was rehomed.
The remaining two dogs are currently under the care of Dacorum Borough Council and will now be rehomed.
The surviving dogs are named Breeze, Sandy and Storm.
The investigating officer, Dacorum Borough Council’s Animal Welfare Officer Rachel Smith, said: “This was a lengthy investigation, spanning over 5 months, during which time we have made every effort to engage with the family.
“All animals deserve to be cared for appropriately and it is never acceptable to neglect an animal or allow an animal to suffer, regardless of your personal circumstances.
“I am pleased with the courts’ decision to disqualify all three owners from owning any animals as this reflects the suffering that was caused to these dogs, which could have easily been avoided.
“Hopefully now, the remaining two dogs can continue with their rehabilitation and go on to lead a full and happy life.”
Sentencing |
Flitton: 12-month community order, 100 hours of unpaid work, £300 costs and a £95 victim surcharge.
Tower and Richardson: 12-month community order, 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days, £120 fine, £300 costs and a £95 victim surcharge.
All three were disqualified from keeping and owning all animals for life.
How pathetic is this.
3 Adults cannot even look after 4 Dogs between them.
This is one sided this is not entirely true the RS PCA called a couple of visits were happy with the dog we took sky to the vet who say that she was in good health after all she was 18 years old Smith doesn’t say that so that when Smith got involved she told us stuff that she was going to get us help and everything she made an appointment et cetera she never even turned up with the person that supposed to been coming out she had no intention of helping us the dogs were not in small cages.
The RSPCA came and check that the cages et cetera were fine and the dogs were okay and he was very happy with what he saw and that he said that with the The dogs, no longer needed to visit when it was handed over to the council and Rachel Smith got involved she had it in for us from day one she was not working with us in fact she made an appointment for us to have the social services round to help us and this did not happen the appointment was never made she knows that we have serious mental health problems and at the time that was causing the problems that’s what was going on we just needed some help.
We pleaded guilty as we felt that we were under a lot of pressure and bullying for all this so as far as we were concerned things were getting okay Rachel Smith put it gave us too much to do into little time and both solicitors and other people we have seen agreed with this we have not been banned for life and I’d like to make it known that sky he was 18 years old you would never been on her own and relied on us and was taken away even though I told Smith the problems et cetera and she died in their careNot because she was ill throughout she was in perfect health and we had the vets report et cetera to do that please don’t judge people on what you read, I’m looking into this more work more because Rachel Smith should not be allowed to just tell you her story please do not judge as we are not vial we love them dogs so don’t judge they are two sides to every story.