CONVICTED (2020) | Tamara J Lloyd, born October 1969, of Chapelry Farm, Langrick Road, Lincoln LN4 4XH – failed to meet the needs of dozens of animals living in squalor at her sanctuary
Following an RSPCA prosecution, Tamara Lloyd of The Alternative Animal Sanctuary was found guilty of 16 offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
More than 70 cats, 14 pigs, along with dogs, horses and terrapins were among the animals kept in ‘appalling conditions’ at the sanctuary.
The offences came to light after the RSPCA executed two separate warrants in May 2019 and January 2020.
Lloyd was filmed for a TV documentary shortly before the first raid, with footage showing the chaotic home and outdoor pens overrun by animals. Before the raid she spoke on the Channel 5 programme called ‘The Woman with 106 Dogs’, which aired in June 2020.
During the first warrant, 14 Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs were found housed in an area dirty with faeces and urine accumulation and cluttered with debris and hazards.
Seventy cats did not have a suitable environment in which to live. They were surrounded by urine, faeces and ammonia and some had no access to a suitable diet and fresh drinking water
Two cats were found to have suffered failing to seek appropriate veterinary care to explore and address painful ear infections.
Five more cats were found to be suffering with chronic dental disease that not been treated.
A boar had a severely in-grown tusk. This had penetrated through his face and into the oral cavity.
Three dogs were found with untreated infected wounds on their bodies. Another dog, named Flo, had a ligature injury to her leg – again this had not been treated
One dog had matted fur, heavily contaminated with mud, faeces and plant matter. This took two hours to remove while under a general anaesthetic.
Following the first warrant , the RSPCA served Lloyd with several improvement notices. The charity attempted to work with her over several months to reduce the number of animals on the site and to improve the welfare of those remaining. While initially cooperative, Lloyd went on to acquire more animals.
After further welfare concerns and complaints, another raid was carried out in January 2020. The RSPCA confirmed that one dog was found dead and another was put to sleep by the owner’s vet.
Witnesses described the conditions on site as ‘appalling’. Dead rats were found in the animals’ accommodation along with overflowing litter trays, stagnant dirty water and hazardous objects.
Eleven dogs were found inside the main living quarters of the house, which was described as uncomfortably warm with a strong smell of ammonia and pools of urine on the floor. There was heavy faecal and urine soiling throughout the downstairs with dirty bedding, empty food containers, a lack of sufficient water, and hazards such as general clutter, rubbish and exposed nails.
A three-legged dog was found in a dark kennel with little ventilation, which was soiled with faeces and urine.
Lloyd also did not take reasonable steps in all the circumstances to meet the needs of seven cats for a suitable environment in which to live.
Seven cats were kept in a poorly ventilated area littered with the bodies of dead rats. Again there were overflowing litter trays, and faeces and urine over the floor. The area was cluttered and hazardous. .
Two pigs had not been provided with a suitable diet including access to drinking water or a suitable environment in which to live.
The adult Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs were found to be obese and living in an area where faeces and urine had accumulated as well as debris and hazards, and dead rats, one of which was being chewed by the pigs. There was no provision of clean drinking water for the pigs and the feed for them was not suitable as was evidenced by their obese state.
Ten terrapins were found in an environment detrimental to their health and well-being. A vet noted that “slime and sludge covered the surface of the stagnant water, dead maggots were seen in excessive numbers floating on and under the water” The vet described the smell from the water and building as “putrid” and said that all had suffered for some considerable time due to their squalid environment, and were severely immuno-suppressed.
Vets deemed the animals to be suffering with obvious signs of disease and ill health and the animals were removed.
In his verdict, District Judge Peter Veits said:
“I find that [Lloyd] started with good intentions and clearly believed in the sanctity of life for her animals, but her issue here has been that she simply cannot say no.
“She needed to recognise that as a sole owner of the premises that her capacity to meet the needs of animals was limited. She either needed staff or less animals and by choosing to carry on she has undermined her sole purpose in that her failures have contributed to the suffering of animals.”
Lloyd was convicted of 16 offences and acquitted on one charge.
Sentencing: two-year conditional discharge; costs and victim surcharge. Banned from keeping animals for 10 years. Lloyd has lodged an appeal.
Update September 2021
It was reported that of the £8 million pounds raised by the Alternative Animal Sanctuary in seven years, just £905,000 was spent on animal care.
The Charity Commission has now banned Tamara Lloyd from operating as a trustee for 15 years.
The sanctuary was wound up in June 2021.
Money left in its bank account – around £400,000 – was distributed to other animal charities.
I think this person needs Help in more ways than one.
a lot of Help.