CONVICTED (2023) | backyard breeder and wildlife persecutor Jay John William Kenny, born 28 April 1983, of 2 Fruix, Kinross KY13 0LA but with links to Cowdenbeath, Fife – kept seven dogs in filthy makeshift kennels on a plot of land in Kelty, Fife.
Kenny, who is well-known to the Scottish SPCA, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to all seven dogs by failing to provide a suitable environment and failing to seek veterinary treatment for a lurcher named Gus.
Scottish SPCA inspector, Stephanie Ross, said, “We’d had numerous dealings with [Kenny] since 2018 due to reports of dogs being kept in poor conditions and his known associations with various individuals who we had previously prosecuted for animal fighting.
“On 19 December we received a call from officers at Police Scotland. They had attended the plot of land belonging to Kenny on an unrelated matter and become immediately concerned for the welfare of the animals due to the conditions they were being kept in.
“On 20 December we attended the premises and found that the conditions were deplorable. The ground was boggy and littered with hazardous material. One dog had taken refuge on top of their wooden kennel and almost resembled a dog stranded on an island.
“All of the areas the dogs were being kept in were heavily soiled with faeces and stank of ammonia. What little straw they had for bedding was foul and sodden with urine. Six of the seven dogs were underweight and many had visible wounds. Most did not even have access to clean drinking water.
“There were two German shepherds and both dogs’ coats were thick with muck and filth. One of the shepherds was attached to a three metre chain. The ground surrounding the dog’s kennel was worn away in a circular shape, suggesting the dog had been here for some time and going round and round in circles. There was also hazardous material like scrap metal and loose nails lying around which could have caused significant damage to the dog.
“A tan and white lurcher named Gus was in particularly poor condition.
“We had concerns for all of the animals’ welfare and immediately removed them from the premises. Gus was taken for veterinary treatment and the others were transported to one of our animal rescue and rehoming centres.
“On veterinary examination, Gus was found to be emaciated and had such a heavy flea burden that they could be seen crawling in his fur. He had alopecia, a bacterial skin infection and several wounds in various stages of healing. There was also a wound to the tip of his tail where the skin had become thickened and leathery. The wounds were likely self-inflicted due to how uncomfortable and itchy the fleas were making him.
“The vet estimated it would have taken a minimum of three to five months for him to develop alopecia and for his tail tip to become hardened.
“Gus also had several fractured teeth, with receding and infected gums which would have been incredibly painful. The vet estimated this would have progressed over six to 12 months.
“The lack of basic care and disregard for animal welfare in this case was disgusting. On the day the dogs were seized the temperatures had dropped below freezing. Gus was so severely underweight he would have struggled to maintain any kind of body heat in those conditions.
“All of the dogs recovered well in our care and gained weight. Sadly, Gus had to have his tail amputated due to the severity of the untreated wound at the tip.
Sentencing | 12-month community payback order of 150 hours; 12-month supervision order. 11-year ban on owning or keeping animals.
Additional Information
In December 2020 the heartbroken owner of a cockapoo puppy purchased from prolific dog breeder Jay Kenny took to Facebook to warn others not to buy from him.
The owner wrote that they had to take the puppy, Tucker, to a vet four days after bringing him home when he became severely unwell with sickness and diarrhoea.
The vet vet ran a test and confirmed that Tucker had parvovirus, a lethal condition for dogs.
The owner contacted Kenny, who denied there was anything wrong with the puppy. He refused to help with vet costs arguing that it was the owner’s decision to take the puppy to the vet. He agreed to refund the money paid for the puppy.
Tragically little Tucker failed to recover and was put to sleep.
The owner contacted Kenny again who demanded proof that Tucker had been euthanised. The owner provided this but Kenny went quiet and failed to answer calls and messages. No refund was ever forthcoming.
Update | May 2024
Central Fife Times reported that Kenny had failed to complete his unpaid work sentence.
Kenny, still of 2 Fruix, Kinross, appeared back at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.
Sheriff Allan Findlay revoked the community payback order and replaced it with a four-month restriction of liberty order.
Not a man, a disease and a very dirty one.
Why no ban for life ?