Tag Archives: Gwent

Dogs, Pet Profiteering, puppy farmers / traffickers, kennels, backyard breeders

Newport, South Wales: Troy Bowyer and Sam Hudacek

May 4, 2024 misanthropic Leave a comment

CONVICTED (2024) | prolific backyard extreme bully breeder Troy Eric Bowyer, born January 1992, of 5 Aberthaw Drive, Alway, Newport NP19 9QB* and Sam Hudacek, born c. 1999, of Albert Avenue, Maindee, Newport NP19 8FF – filmed themselves trying to artificially inseminate a pet dog.

Prosecution of backyard extreme bully breeder Troy Bowyer and accomplice Sam Hudacek from Newport, Wales - who filmed themselves artificially inseminating a dog.

The men were described in court as making a “crude and amateurish” attempt to inseminate a dog. A judge said when he first saw the footage he thought it showed “some sort of sexual perversion”.

The attempts of Troy Bowyer, who bred and sold cropped-eared bull-breed dogs under the name ‘One Hunna Bullys’, and Hudacek to impregnate the latter’s dog came to light after police executed a drugs search warrant and found the video on a mobile phone. The phone also showed Hudacek had been involved in dealing cocaine.

The video showed a female bull dog standing on her front legs with her back legs being held up and Bowyer moving his fingers in and out of the dog. A syringe could also be seen in the footage.

The court heard the footage was being shot by Hudacek and he could be heard laughing and giving Bowyer “encouragement” to carry on.

The court heard the footage appeared to show “some kind of artificial insemination” of the bitch.

When interviewed about the video footage Hudacek answered “no comment” to all questions asked while Bowyer accepted it was him on the footage but denied causing the dog unnecessary suffering.

Hudacek pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, while Bowyer pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.

Defence counsel for Hudacek said the defendant had moved to the UK from Slovakia as a 12-year-old boy and initially struggled at school in Newport as he could not speak English. When his parents later returned home, however, he decided to stay in Wales. He said “there are people who think he is capable of a lot more” and said the defendant wants to support his partner and be a better role model. He said his client’s role in the animal offence had been “peripheral”.

Counsel for Bowyer, who is no stranger to the Welsh courts, said the dog belonged to the co-defendant Hudacek and his client had been “asked to assist with the artificial insemination”.

He said Bowyer had a long-term partner of 18 years with whom he had two children with a third was on the way, although the couple did not actually live together.

Judge Simon Mills described the matters involving the dog as “frankly unpleasant”, and said when he first saw the footage he “thought there was some sort of sexual perversion going on” but in reality it was a “crude and amateurish attempt at artificial insemination” which would have caused the dog considerable discomfort.

Sentencing |
Hudacek: three years in prison with one month to run concurrently for the animal welfare offence.
Bowyer: 24 month community order for the animal offence with rehabilitation course; £500 fine.
Neither man was banned from owning animals.

Wales Online

Additional Information

*alternative address for Troy Bowyer: 9 Ifton Place, Newport NP19 0HH.

Bowyer is a chef by possession and also a co-director of TJ’s Carvery & Grill based in Maindee, Newport.

Dogs, Lifers, Pet Profiteering, puppy farmers / traffickers, kennels, backyard breeders

Fleur de Lis, Caerphilly: Colin and Ruth Williams

April 21, 2024 misanthropic Leave a comment

CONVICTED (2024) | unlicensed backyard breeders Colin Williams, born c. 1977, and Ruth Williams ( née Ruth Sanders), born c. 1972, of Glanddu Road, Fleur de Lis, Blackwood NP12 3XT – for a catalogue of animal cruelty offences towards dogs and puppies they exploited for money.

Prosecution of prolific backyard breeders Colin Williams and Ruth Williams from Fleur de Lis, Blackwood, Caerphilly, Wales - for dog cruelty.

The couple were prosecuted followed an investigation by Caerphilly County Borough Council trading standards.

Together with officers from Gwent Police, a veterinary surgeon, and officials from neighbouring councils, a warrant was executed at the Williams’ home address in June 2023. The premises was suspected of being used for unlicensed dog breeding.

Three French bulldogs, two British bulldogs and two cavalier King Charles spaniels were found severely confined in pens in one room with no access to water.

One of the pens, which housed two other dogs was in an alcove under the stairs. The conditions provided insufficient space with the animals having no stimulation and unable to show normal behaviour.

All nine dogs had conditions which caused them unnecessary suffering. The dogs were found to be suffering from skin, eye, ear and airway diseases.

The dogs were seized after being looked at by the vet and placed into the care of Hope Rescue. They have since been rehomed.

Colin Williams, who used to run a business called Valley Ultrasound and Microchipping and now works as a window cleaner, admitted 17 charges under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, and one charge under Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 for not declaring he was a breeder when he advertised the dogs’ sale.

He also admitted a charge under the Welfare of Animals (Transport) (Wales) Order 2007 of the Animal Health Act 1981, for illegally taking two pregnant dogs to Heathrow Airport.

Ruth Williams admitted 15 cruelty charges under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and a charge under consumer protection law.

Lyndsey Smith, rescue and adoption manager of Hope Rescue Centre, said: “Many of the dogs arrived with health issues so we were shocked to hear they were still being bred from.

“Amongst the group of dogs were a very nervous duo of cavalier bitches. They moved out to foster care together and developed such a lovely relationship – we just had to find them a home where they could stay together.”

Sentencing |
Colin Williams: jailed for four months. Indefinite ban.
Ruth Williams: eight-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months. 10-year ban.
£12,000 costs.

Caerphilly Observer
South Wales Argus

Animal Abandonment, Dogs, Worst of the Worst

Rogerstone, Newport: Alyshia Taylor

April 3, 2024 misanthropic 3 Comments

CONVICTED (2024) | Alyshia Diana Taylor, born c. 1999, of Keene Avenue, Rogerstone, Newport NP10 8DF – for the abandonment of two dogs and a puppy with only the latter surviving.

RSPCA prosecution of Alyshia Taylor from Newport, Wales.

Taylor pleaded guilty to three offences under the Animal Welfare Act.

Two of the counts related to “failing to provide a suitable diet for two dogs, a bull breed type named Dior and a Chow Chow type called Storm”.

The third charge related to a Chow Chow puppy called Chase in that she was responsible for “an environment that was unsuitable in diet and in the providing of adequate clean fresh drinking water”.

The court heard how the emaciated body of Dior was found in a kennel at Taylor’s then home in Cromwell Road Newport. Post-mortem examination found she had wood particles in her stomach which she had eaten in her desperation for food.

Storm was still alive but in an emaciated state. She and the puppy, who was described as thin, were found in the faeces-strewn property.

The RSPCA was alerted on January 30, 2023, after receiving a call from police regarding two dogs they had removed from the property and taken to a vet for examination and treatment. The charity was also advised that there was a dead dog at the scene.

In a written statement provided to the court RSPCA inspector Sophie Daniels said: “I established that of the two dogs removed, both of which were black Chow Chows, the adult female was in an emaciated condition and had been deemed to be in a suffering state by the vet Her male puppy was found to be thin and as such not having his needs met.”

Arriving at Taylor’s home to collect the body of the dead dog Inspector Daniels said: “There were toys and belongings cluttering the floor and there was a strong smell of dog. I walked through to a back room with lots of clutter left around.

“On the table, amongst other items, I saw an empty box of Bakers dog food and on the floor by the sofa, was an unopened sack of dry dog food.

“The kitchen was at the back of the property and was filthy with dog faeces all over the floor. The faeces was particularly concentrated by the back patio doors. There was a plastic dog bed on the floor by the back doors, which contained a dirty blanket. There were some plastic takeaway containers on the floor with a drop of water contained.”

Outside in an enclosure furthest away from the house there were piles of dog faeces, a tipped over empty bucket and two silver dog bowls containing a small amount of brown/yellow dirty liquid. Dior’s body was found in a wooden open-fronted kennel in the back corner of the enclosure.

Inspector Daniels said: “The dog was laying on its left side on dirty bedding and there was an extremely strong smell of decay.

“The body was extremely thin with ribs visible. The eyes were sunken and there was dark/bloody liquid coming from the dog’s mouth and nose.”

As Inspector Daniels removed the body, large maggots – some over one centimetres in length – fell from the body.

Dior, who was nearly three years old, was examined by a vet, who said in a witness statement that her body was “emaciated with very little muscle mass remaining on her body.”

Commenting on the findings of the post mortem, the vet said: “The report showed that she had two bruises on her neck, wood throughout her guts and had died due to necrosis (or cell death) of multiple areas of her heart, the cause for the necrosis was not able to be determined.

“However the other changes of muscle mass loss, and severe loss of fat throughout the body indicates a severe energy imbalance or lack of food prior to her death.

“With her body at the lowest end of body condition score at one out of nine, this means that if she had had no food at all and just access to water, to get to the condition she was found in from a normal condition would have taken between two to three weeks of starvation, longer if she had access to food in that time.

“It is my professional opinion that Dior was allowed to suffer unnecessarily by her owner/carer from hunger due to lack of feeding over a prolonged period of time.”

Sentencing Taylor, magistrates said there was “a real prospect of rehabilitation” and suspended the custodial term.

Sadly, Storm later had to be put to sleep on veterinary advice after she was found to have a debilitating condition.

Chase was rehomed by the RSPCA.

Sentencing | 36-weeks custodial suspended for 18 months; 10 days of rehabilitation; £975 towards costs. 10-year disqualification order applicable to all animals.

Nation Cymru
South Wales Argus

Animal Abandonment, Dogs

Newport, South Wales: Roxanne Edwards

March 16, 2024 misanthropic 2 Comments

CONVICTED (2024) | Roxanne Edwards, born 7 April 1997, of Clearwell Court, Bassaleg, Newport NP10 8JY – for cruelty to dogs Zeus and Zya.

Animal abuser Roxanne Edwards from Bassaleg, Newport, South Wales. Image: Roxanne Edwards / Facebook — Zoe Edwards with Zeus, Zya and a third unnamed dog. The fate of all three dogs is unknown.

Edwards admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a male pitbull terrier type dog called Zeus and being in charge of a dangerous dog in respect of him and causing unnecessary suffering to a female blue XL Bully known as Zya.

She also pleaded guilty to an animal welfare offence in that she failed to let them exhibit normal behaviour patterns, accommodate them in a clean environment, provide fresh clean drinking water and provide veterinary attention as required [in other words, she kept them in squalor, left them in pain and didn’t bother to give them water].

Edwards admitted committing the offences between May 19, 2023 and June 22, 2023.

The fate of the two dogs or indeed the third dog she owned has not been reported but given their breed we can probably guess what happened to them, if they even survived their time with Edwards.

Sentencing | “rehabilitation”, four-month curfew. £514 in costs. Five-year ban on keeping dogs.

South Wales Argus

Dogs

Newport, Gwent: Walter Kanhukamwe

July 15, 2023 misanthropic 1 Comment

CONVICTED (2023) | Walter Rangariria Kanhukamwe, born July 2001, of Somerton Road, Newport NP19 but with links to Bloxwich in Walsall, West Midlands -for cruelty to a dog found collapsed due to heat exhaustion.

Police mugshot of animal abuser and violent career criminal Walter Kanhukamwe from Newport, Wales

Following an RSPCA prosecution in relation to two American bulldog type dogs called Crystal and Peachey, Kanhukamwe was found guilty of animal welfare offences.

He had denied the offences but was convicted following a trial.

Kanhukamwe was found guilty of exposing Crystal “to high temperatures without providing the dog with suitable shelter or a sufficient amount of water”.

The offence was committed during a heatwave last summer on July 19, 2022.

He also failed to provide Crystal and Peachey with adequate shelter, a suitable clean dry lying area, suitable bedding, veterinary attention, fresh water, appropriate companionship and exercise.

The second offence took place between October 16, 2021 and July 19, 2022.

In a written statement presented to the court from RSPCA inspector Emma Smith, she said she was made aware of an incident where police removed Crystal from a garden after she was found ‘in a collapsed state suffering from heat exhaustion’. This incident was subsequently passed onto the RSPCA for investigation.

Crystal had been left without adequate water or shelter during hot weather and suffered near-fatal hyperthermia

A vet who saw Crystal in July 2022 told the court the dog was presented “after being seized due to being collapsed in a garden with no shade or water on what was an extremely hot day (30 degrees Celsius at the time of the incident with minimal cloud cover).”

“When she was brought in, this was after she had been left in a garden, since the evening before (arrived approximately 2pm). She had initially been actively cooled by the neighbours prior to her arrival,” she said.

“On arrival she was panting, almost in respiratory distress she was panting so much (they do this in an attempt to cool down as they cannot perspire).

“Her temperature when she came to us was 39.8, we class this as hyperthermia as it is an extreme increase of temperature but not due to an underlying disease (normal temperature should not exceed 38.5 degrees Celsius) and this was after she had been cooled down.

“From my clinical point of view, this dog was on the verge of going into heat stroke and from being this temperature could still have showed signs a few days later.

It was lucky she was found when she was as the consequences very likely would have been fatal if her temperature was not brought down to normal within the next hour/so, despite this she would have also become progressively more dehydrated.”

She added: “By not seeking veterinary attention in my professional opinion the owner of this dog failed in their duty of care to the dog with respect to the hyperthermia, verging on heat stroke and dehydration through his neglect caused the dog to suffer unnecessarily.”

The court also heard that the RSPCA had visited the home of Kanhukamwe multiple times before this incident due to concerns about two dogs being left for long periods and left in unsuitable conditions.

RSPCA inspectors issued Animal Welfare Warning notices and requested improvements were made in respect to Crystal’s and Peaches’ environment.

Crystal also had a condition known as cherry eye which RSPCA inspectors requested was seen by a vet.

During one visit, inspector Smith said: “He confirmed to me that Crystal had come to him with a cherry eye and that he was using drops on her which the previous owner had given him. He advised that he had not taken her to see a vet as he believed they would want to remove the lump and he was not prepared to have this surgery done.”

She spoke to him about the environment the dogs were living in.

“He claimed that the dogs had cardboard available to them for bedding and that there were no hazards present. He said he didn’t provide any other form of bedding as the dogs were destructive and would shred it.”

In March 2023 Kanhukamwe was jailed for 21 months after waving a hunting knife above his head in Cardiff before calmly entering a café. The court heard he had seven previous convictions, including the possession of a knife in 2018.

Sentencing | immediate 16-week custodial. Three-year ban on owning or keeping dogs (expires July 2026).

South Wales Argus
Western Telegraph

Dogs, Pet Profiteering, puppy farmers / traffickers, kennels, backyard breeders

Monmouth, Monmouthshire: Gareth Lawler

December 23, 2022 misanthropic Leave a comment

CONVICTED (2022) | puppy farmer and Crufts dog show judge Gareth Lawler, born c. 1965, previously of Hendy, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, but now living in the town of Monmouth – ran an illegal breeding operation where dogs were kept in awful conditions.

Crufts dog show judge and puppy farmer Gareth Lawler from Monmouth, Wales, UK. Image: Daily Mail

Shamed Kennel Club judge Gareth Lawler – who has been going to Crufts for more than 30 years – made £153,000 from puppy farming.

He was found to have bred 27 litters in just four years, with dogs selling for anywhere between £500 and £2,000 a time.

He bred and sold highly-sought after breeds including English springer spaniels, cocker spaniels, Tibetan terriers, Hungarian vizslas, longhaired dachshunds, shih tzu crosses and cockerpoos.

Carmarthenshire Council wanted to search Lawler’s home “due to the unsatisfactory conditions his own dogs were being kept in and refusal to allow officers to access areas where other dogs and puppies were housed.”

A spokesman said: “The subsequent search and online investigations by Council Officers uncovered breeding dogs and puppies being kept in poor conditions as well as evidence of large-scale unlicensed dog breeding.

“Twenty-seven litters were bred between 24th July 2016 and 22nd July 2020, 11 of which were bred in the last 12 months, despite being advised of current dog breeding regulations on more than one occasion.”

Cllr Aled Vaughan Owen, said: “I would like to praise the actions of our Animal Welfare team who uncovered unlicensed dog breeding, as well as dogs being kept in unacceptable conditions during an inspection which forms part of the dog boarding licensing procedure.

“Mr Lawler is well-known on the dog show circuit, having judged English Springer Spaniels, Cocker Spaniels and Welsh Springer Spaniels at Kennel Club shows and this case indicates the importance of licenses for dog boarding and breeding, both of which are in place to protect the welfare of dogs.

“The Council is committed to ensuring that breeders and boarders of dogs in Carmarthenshire follow the rules that are in place which ensure that breeding dogs, their puppies and those being boarded are being kept in proper conditions”.

Lawler was ordered to repay £78,000 in three months or go to jail for 12 months. The £78,000 sum would be confiscated from Lawler under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Lawler was also fined £500 for the unlicensed breeding and was given six months to pay this. If he doesn’t a further 14 days prison sentence will be activated

Posts from Lawler’s social media accounts appear to show he is a member of the English Springer Spaniel Club of Wales, and frequently shares updates on dog competitions and judging.

Planet Radio
Daily Mail

Cats, Violent and Sadistic Pet Abusers, Worst of the Worst

Bargoed, Caerphilly: Tristian Pearson

August 12, 2022 misanthropic 1 Comment

CONVICTED (2022) | Tristian Paul Pearson, born 2 April 1978, of 69 West Street, Bargoed CF81 8SA – poisoned two cats belonging to his neighbours.

Pearson admitted causing cats Luna and Bailey to take ethylene glycol, a substance which is highly poisonous to felines. The poisonings took place in early September 2021.

Vet statements supplied to the court confirmed the kidney tubules of both cats were consistent with ethylene glycol poisoning.

The cats belonged to a father and daughter who lived in two separate properties near Pearson’s West Street home.

Bailey’s owner reported that his cat, a Persian named Bailey, became unwell on 3 September, and appeared weak and wobbly. He was due to attend a vet but died before this took place.

On 7 September, Luna, a female domestic short hair, appeared very wobbly on her back legs. Her symptoms escalated, and vets found her to also have a high heart rate while her muscles were twitching. Sadly, vet tests confirmed Luna had kidney failure and she was put to sleep on humane grounds.

Following the deaths of their pets, the owners looked in the rear garden of their neighbour’s property and spotted two pots. One contained a bright blue liquid, and the other a food mix, including meat. These were retrieved, and passed to the RSPCA.

Some of the meat-type substance found in one of the pots was also found in the garden of Luna’s owner.

Tests later confirmed substances found in the pots contained a high concentration of ethylene glycol, one of which appeared to have been mixed with tuna fish.

An expert veterinary witness report concluded that it is “very highly likely that this was the source of ethylene glycol that caused the death of Luna and Bailey”.

The report said that the “effects of ethylene glycol poisoning cause a cat to suffer via the mechanism of dehydration with subsequent headaches, nausea, disorientation, weakness and collapse”.

*Tubs containing the poison ethylene glycol which were found at the bottom of Pearson’s garden.*

Speaking after the hearing, RSPCA inspector Simon Evans, who investigated, said: “These poor cats were deliberately tempted into digesting a substance that is incredibly dangerous for cats and ultimately proved fatal to them both.

“One cat died before he could even be taken to the vets, while another had to be put to sleep to prevent suffering. Vets found clear evidence of the harm the ethylene glycol had done.

“The two dishes found in the defendant’s garden contained a high concentration of the dangerous substance – and he admitted in court that he caused them to consume it, causing them to suffer unnecessarily.

“We hope this shocking, landmark case sends a clear message to anyone thinking of targeting cats in this way – this is wrong, illegal and will not be tolerated.”

The case had originally been heard at Cwmbran Magistrates Court, where Pearson pleaded guilty – but was referred to Cardiff Crown Court for sentencing. The RSPCA believes this is the first such case to be referred in this way, following the coming into force of the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021 last year; demonstrating the seriousness of the offence.

Sentencing | eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months; 150 hours of unpaid work; £2,000 in costs. Disqualified from keeping all animals for five years but may appeal after four years.

Wales247
ITV News

Dogs, Lifers, Pet Profiteering, puppy farmers / traffickers, kennels, backyard breeders, Worst of the Worst

Newport, Gwent: Cortez Belle

December 31, 2021 misanthropic 1 Comment

CONVICTED (2021) Cortez Marvin Belle, born 27 August 1983, of Orb Drive, Newport NP19 0RE – left his pet dog in agony with untreated ear masses, causing permanent deafness.

Failed professional footballer Belle, who now works as a part-time youth football coach, was sent to prison for eight weeks and banned from keeping all animals for life for the prolonged neglect of three-year-old French bulldog, Tinkerbell.

He pleaded guilty to one offence of causing unnecessary suffering to the dog.

Belle said he couldn’t afford to pay for Tinkerbell’s treatment despite breeding from her twice, with the dogs selling for £1,500 each.

The RSPCA said that the court heard animal rescue officer (ARO) Isobel Burston had visited Belle’s home on August 11, 2021, following concerns about his dog. She described smelling “rotting flesh” as soon as she walked into the property and seeing a tennis ball-sized growth tangling out of Tinkerbell’s left ear.

In her evidence to the court ARO Burston said: “I have seen something similar to this previously and knew that was where the bad smell was coming from. I knelt down to look closer. The growth looked wet and had debris and hair stuck to it in some areas, and open sore looking yellow patches underneath.”

Belle told the officer that he had taken Tinkerbell to see a vet about six to eight weeks previously but had been told she would need very expensive surgery which he couldn’t afford, and that his ex-partner had cancelled the pet insurance following the breakdown of their relationship.

Tinkerbell was taken to a vet by the RSPCA later that day. She was examined and found to be in a poor bodily condition, with her spine and ribs visible and a tucked appearance at the waist.

The vet who treated her said: “The growths looked polyp-like and these polyps had invaded both of her ear canals, leaving no obvious ear canal for hearing; at this point I imagine she is almost deaf.

“On the left ear, attached to the inner ear polyp there was another mass, this was attached via a stalk. The mass was approximately 20 by 20 centimetres in size, cylindrical in shape and hanging from the ear polyp.

“This mass was grossly infected and ulcerated in places and was also weighing that side of her head down, causing a head tilt.”

The vet said that the inner polyp masses would have taken at least three to six months to get to the size that they were, whilst the mass attached to the polyp on the left ear was so severe it could potentially have been growing for up to a year.

RSPCA inspector Gemma Cooper interviewed Belle on August 16. He told her there had been ongoing issues with Tinkerbell’s ears in the two and a half years he had owned her – including the times when she had given birth to two litters of puppies – and that he had been given antibiotics and steroids by a vet to treat her.

He said his insurance policy would not cover the £6,000 he had been told it would cost to operate on one of Tinkerbell’s ears.

In mitigation, the RSPCA said Belle told the court he was experiencing mental health problems and expressed his remorse and regret about what had happened, saying he did not seek to blame anyone but himself.

Newport magistrates said that the case of ‘prolonged neglect’ was so serious that it crossed the threshold for custody and sent him to prison.

After the hearing, Inspector Cooper said: “I’m very pleased that the court recognised the seriousness of Tinkerbell’s neglect. Belle had every opportunity to seek veterinary treatment or help from various animal charities across South Wales, but he didn’t.

“His inaction resulted in Tinkerbell suffering for months and she is now permanently deaf as a result.”

Tinkerbell was cared for at an RSPCA animal centre for several months. Unfortunately her health started to deteriorate, and sadly, she sent on to be put to sleep on veterinary advice.

Sentencing: eight-week prison sentence; costs and charges of £548. Lifetime ban.

Wales Online

Cats

Caldicot, Monmouthshire: Rebecca Davies

December 13, 2021 misanthropic 1 Comment

CONVICTED (2021) | Rebecca Davies, born c. 1967, of 3 Stafford Road, Caldicot NP26 5DE – left her cat to suffer with an ulcerated tumour on her leg.

Rebecca Davies failed to provide veterinary treatment for an ulcerated tumour on her pet cat’s leg, which eventually required amputation.

Davies pleaded guilty to the two offences, both of which concerned five-year-old tortoiseshell cat Mitzi.

She was first visited by RSPCA inspector Christine McNeil on May 6, 2020, following welfare concerns regarding Mitzi.

The inspector was told the cat, who was out, had a sore on her left hind leg, which appeared to be getting worse and was causing her to be lame.

Davies said she had no way of getting Mitzi to a vet, didn’t think they were open, and that funding was an issue.

The following day, the RSPCA arranged for Mitzi to be seen to by a vet. The vet who examined Mitzi later that morning confirmed she had a tumour of some sort and would have been suffering for at least three weeks. She said the limb would need to be amputated and tests carried out to see whether the tumour had spread.

Mitzi was given pain relief and the vet advised that the leg would need operating on in a maximum of seven to 14 days.

Inspector McNeil telephoned Davies on May 12 for an update, magistrates heard. Davies told the inspector that she had been in contact with a vet and had sent them Mitzi’s photos and notes. She was unable to provide the name of the vet she had spoken to, but thought it might be ‘Catherine’.

Subsequent calls revealed that the veterinary practice had not provided any advice regarding treatment, and could not do so without seeing Mitzi first.

Davies was reminded again of her obligations and the fact that Mitzi needed an urgent operation within a specific time frame. Davies said she was still waiting for some money that was owed to her and was trying to do everything she could to get her treatment. She denied her cat was suffering and again declined the offer of transport or signing Mitzi over into the care of the RSPCA.

Two days later, the veterinary practice that Davies claimed to have rung told inspector McNeil they did not have a vet or a nurse by the name of Catherine. On May 26, they confirmed that Mitzi had still not been seen and they had no record of her.

On June 2 inspector McNeil returned to Davies’ house, along with a police officer. By this time, Mitzi’s wound was raw, moist and bleeding, with a strong smell of infection. Davies repeated that she still had no money and was doing everything she could for her cat.

Inspector McNeil immediately took Mitzi to the same vet who had treated her in May. The mass on her leg had grown, measuring between 3 cm and 3.5 cm across, and between 6 cm and 6.5 cm long. She had lost weight and was reluctant to use the leg, which had significantly wasted away due to disuse. A successful operation to amputate her leg was carried out a few days later, and subsequent tests revealed that the tumour had not spread.

Magistrates said Davies’ lack of action amounted to gross negligence and had caused Mitzi serious harm. They said the case crossed the threshold for custody, but they were imposing a suspended sentence because of Davies’ previous good character and the effect that prison would have on her mental health.

Mitzi made a good recovery in the care of the RSPCA following her operation, but sadly was found dead in her kennel five months later.

Sentencing: 12-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months; £522 in costs and charges. Five-year ban on keeping all animals (expires December 2026).

South Wales Argus

Animal Torture, Lifers, Primates, Violent and Sadistic Pet Abusers, Worst of the Worst

Newport, Gwent: Vicki Holland

December 10, 2021 misanthropic 4 Comments

#MostEvil | Vicki Holland, born c. 1983, of Wordsworth Road, Newport NP19 8HU – subjected her pet monkey to months of sadistic abuse.

Sadistic Vicki Holland terrorised monkey Milly over several months.

Mother-of-four Holland admitted three offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 in relation to a marmoset monkey named Milly.

The court was also told Holland failed to provide a suitable environment for Milly and did not feed her a suitable diet.

Marmosets are native to tropical areas of South America, and when kept in this country their owners must meet the animals’ “very particular set of needs”, Aled Watkins, prosecuting, said.

But he said Holland did not meet these needs – she provided no UVB lighting for the monkey, her cage was “devoid of decor needed for environmental enrichment”, and she fed her “inappropriate food” including processed ham, kebabs and burgers.

The tiny monkey was tortured by her evil owner.

Milly’s abuse came to light after Gwent Police raided Holland’s property on drugs charges. Officers seized items including the defendant’s mobile phone, and while investigating the device they found 22 “very disturbing” videos involving the marmoset.

Holland lied to police she had sold the marmoset a week earlier but Milly was found and signed over to the RSPCA. She was then transferred to specialist primate experts at Monkey World in Dorset for ongoing care.

Three of the videos found on Holland’s phone were shown to the court, including one showing the marmoset in a “very distressed state”, cowering inside a toilet bowl. Holland could be heard on the video saying “I need the toilet” and “shall I flush it?”

The toilet was then flushed, and Holland called the animal a “fucking twat”.

Another video heard Holland offering Milly some bagged cocaine, saying: “Want some coke? Lick my fingers.”

A third video showed Holland’s pet dog in close proximity to the monkey. Mr Watkins said there was other evidence of the dog chasing the marmoset, which had “free rein” of the house in a “dangerous environment” around knives and electrical outlets.

Mr Watkins said Holland had “shown total disregard to the basic care and needs” of her pet.

“This is deliberate infliction, this isn’t neglect,” he told magistrates.

In May 2021, Holland and partner Russell Cox, 43, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply after £1,600 of cocaine was found hidden inside Kinder eggs in her home.

Cox, of Cwmbran, was jailed for 30 months and Holland got a suspended 20-month term.

Team Leader of Small Monkeys, who rehabilitated the abused pet, Steph Sawyer, said: “Rehabilitating Milly has been a long process. I have never seen such a terrified marmoset.

“Milly cringed away and hid from every person she encountered, any loud noise or sudden movement would sent her into a screaming alarm call and looking for somewhere to hide.

“She wouldn’t move or eat in front of us to begin with; only freeze and hide.

“Even now that she is settled and happy with a male, the sight of new people can still cause her to panic. The mental scarring from her abuse will always be with her.”

Abused marmoset Milly is recovering well in the care of Monkey World in Dorset.

Dr Alison Cronin, director of Monkey World, said: “Milly’s case was tragic and heart breaking.

“She spent her life living in fear and was subjected to abuse and cruelty that is the worst that I have seen in more than 30 years of rescuing primates.

“Milly will never fully recover from her abuse and will be psychologically damaged for the rest of her life but the key to saving Milly was companionship of her own kind.

“With Moon at her side, she has been able to relax and enjoy her life, finally.”

RSPCA inspector and exotics officer Sophie Daniels added: “I was immediately and gravely concerned about the welfare of this marmoset when I saw these disturbing videos.

“Videos from the defendant’s phone showed Holland offering the marmoset cocaine, while another showed the clearly terrified marmoset down a toilet bowl.

“Holland was shouting, swearing, laughing and at one point in the clip, the toilet is flushed, showing the petrified animal struggling to cling onto the side of the bowl.”

“An independent vet soon confirmed that the marmoset was suffering unnecessarily as a result of the way she had been treated.”

The RSPCA has said it was “totally opposed” to the keeping of any primate as a pet, because it is so hard to meet their complex needs in a domestic environment.

Sentencing: 12-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months; 120 hours of unpaid work; £568 in costs. Disqualified from owning any animals indefinitely, with a minimum duration of the order of five years.

South Wales Argus
BBC News
The Sun

UK Animal Cruelty Files