CONVICTED (2024) | backyard breeders Bridget Reilly, born 15 October 1977, and Andrew Keating, born 11 September 1981, of 11 Brackenhall Road, Sheepridge, Huddersfield HD2 1EU – bred dogs without a licence.
Reilly and Keating pleaded guilty to breeding dogs without a licence, under Section 13 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
The case came to light when Kirklees Council Animal Health officers found evidence of the pair posting adverts for a range of breeds of puppies on various sales platforms.
Reilly pleaded guilty to 18 offences and was sentenced to two years’ community service and 15 days of rehabilitation activity.
She applied for a licence before attending court and is now a licensed dog breeder.
Keating pleaded guilty to 11 offences and was sentenced to 18 months’ community service and a further 25 days rehabilitation activity.
The outcome of the confiscation hearing will be heard in September 2024, which is when the financial penalties for the pair will be decided.
CONVICTED (2024) | Ian Rosenberg, born c. 1964, of South Haven Close, Hamworthy, Poole BH16 5BJ – illegally bred and sold puppies.
Illegal dog breeder/dealer Ian Rosenberg (right) with one of his many traveller friends
Rosenberg, who has strong connections to the traveller community, is said to have earned £53,260 through his illegal activities, which he will have to repay.
An investigation led by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP) into Rosenberg’s operations ran between October 2019 and July 2022, and involved a raid of his Hamworthy property in July 2021.
The warrant was issued by Dorset Police, welfare checks were done by the RSPCA and the council’s Animal Welfare Officers were able to investigate at his premises.
Rosenberg was found to be housing 50 dogs and five litters of puppies.
Trading Standards then carried out a financial investigation which led to the successful prosecution.
This was the first successful conviction by BCP Council in bringing an unlicensed breeder to justice.
In court, he was found guilty of breeding three or more litters of English Bulldog, French Bulldog and Cocker Spaniel puppies over a 12-month period.
He was also found guilty of selling the puppies without a licence.
Sentencing | two months in prison, suspended for 12 months; 120 hours of unpaid work; repayment of the money he benefitted from through his illegal activity, with £10,500 having to be settled within a three-month period. If any of the payments default, Rosenberg will face six months in jail.
CONVICTED (2024) | Kristina Barton, born 18 August 1995, of Heol Dinefwr. Foelgastell, Cross Hands, Llanelli SA14 7EH – for dog breeding without a licence.
Unlicensed puppy breeder Barton, who also runs a pony event business called Carmarthenshire Party Ponies & Therapy Pets, was told to pay £26,700 after admitting three charges under the Animal Welfare Act at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court.
Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings were launched, where the prosecution alleged that Barton profited to the sum of around £31,000 from the illegal puppy sales.
Swansea Crown Court heard that Barton had bred as many as nine litters of puppies during that period. The case was brought to light after multiple complaints from concerned neighbours to Carmarthenshire County Council and Dyfed-Powys Police.
The investigation began in April 2020 when Barton initially inquired about a dog breeding licence. Despite being provided with an information pack, subsequent complaints from neighbouring properties surfaced, leading to allegations of illegal dog breeding, unauthorised construction of kennels and stables, noise disturbances from barking dogs, and dogs straying and fouling outside the property.
In May 2021, an advert on the Pets4Homes website revealed that Barton was advertising a litter of puppies, prompting a warning letter from Carmarthenshire County Council. However, the situation escalated when Dyfed Powys Police received additional complaints in April 2022.
A Data Protection Act request, by the Local Authority to Pets4Homes, uncovered that Barton bred as many as nine litters of puppies and offered four individual dogs for sale between May 17, 2021, and July 30, 2023 – all without the required dog breeding license.
Despite previous advisories, Barton continued her breeding operations, leading to legal action by the County Council.
Sentencing | 12-month conditional discharge; ordered to pay £26,721.12 as well as £500 in costs and a £22 surcharge.
CONVICTED (2023) | puppy farmers Julie Pearce, born 20 February 1966, Rosalie Pearce, aka Rosalie Peters, born 29 March 1990, Kaylie Lisa Adams, born 2 August 1998, all of Glyn Terrace, Fochriw, Bargoed CF81 9JP – for illegal breeding and cruelty to dozens of dogs living in squalor.
The trio made £125,000 from running an illegal puppy breeding business from the family home. When the property was raided officers found dozens of dogs and pups living in rooms filthy with faeces and urine, and with little access to water, light or fresh air.
The family sold the puppies online on sites including Gumtree as being the offspring of much-loved family pets but the reality was very different.
The court heard many of the dogs in the house had dirty, matted fur and some were infested with fleas.
Officers found a number of puppy pens which were far too small for the number of pups being kept in them. The dogs were “desperate for attention and play” and were nervous around people, indicating a lack of socialisation.
In one of the bedrooms – which was described as being unventilated and with a “heavy fly infestation” – the officers found a dozen dogs several of which were small and underweight, while officers found another 23 dogs living in the dining room of the house without water.
In another room officers found a bitch suckling her litter – the room was described as being too cold for the pups, and there was no water for the mother.
While officers were searching the house Kaylie Adams and Rosalie Pearce returned home. When their phones were examined it became clear from text messages that they had been running an “extensive and unlicensed dog breeding” business breeding multiple litters of pups.
For much of the time Julie Pearce had been living in Puerto Rico, Gran Canaria while her daughters did the hands-on work in the house.
All three pleaded guilty to running an unlicensed dog breeding business, engaging in unfair commercial practices, causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, and failing to meet the welfare needs of animals.
The judge said any sentence other than a custodial one would be an “affront to the public” but they were sentences that need not be served immediately.
A Proceeds of Crime Act investigation will now be launched into the family’s finances.
The dogs rescued from the Fochriw puppy farm were placed with the Hope Rescue charity, and all have now been found permanent new homes.
Sentencing | Rosalie Pearce: 56 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months; 100 hours of unpaid work. Kaylie Adams: 56 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months; 100 hours of unpaid work; rehabilitation. Julie Pearce: 42 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months. They were banned from keeping animals for 10 years (expires July 2033).
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.
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.
CONVICTED (2022) | fraudulent puppy sellers Stacey Jane Hayward, born 20 October 1980, and boyfriend Steven Gilmore Foster, born 14 February 1980, both of Colliford Road, West Thurrock, Grays RM20 3BN; Kelly Jean Bennett, born 8 June 1978, and husband Ricky Jay Bennett, born 15 April 1980, both of Weymouth Drive, Chafford Hundred, Grays RM16 6BX – bought in sick and diseased puppies from Welsh puppy farms and sold them on to unsuspecting members of the public for vast sums.
L-R fraudsters and animal abusers Stacey Hayward, Kelly Bennett, Ricky Bennett. An RSPCA investigation found the gang had sold 500 mostly unwell puppies over a three-year period.
The RSPCA launched an investigation into puppy selling in the Essex area after being contacted by members of the public who had bought puppies in Billericay, Grays and Thurrock.
The charity’s Special Operations Unit (SOU) – a specialist taskforce which investigates serious, organised and commercial animal cruelty, such as the high value trade in puppies – started looking into a premises at Crays Hill in 2019.
In the case summary, RSPCA prosecutor Hazel Stevens said: “Members of the public had made complaints to the local authority and the RSPCA about puppies being purchased from said premises – which soon became ill after sale.
“Twelve witness statements were taken in relation to puppies with health problems which were sold from the Billericay address between June and September 2019, and one in March 2019.”
Hayward
The court was told that Basildon Council had licensed Stacey Hayward to sell puppies but the licence was revoked in July 2018 due to complaints about sick puppies. Her breeding licence ran out in December 2018.
Hayward and her partner, Steven Foster, moved to a new home and, in October 2019, complaints began coming into the RSPCA related to an address in Weymouth Drive, occupied by Kelly and Ricky Bennett.
Hayward pictured with partner Steven Foster during an earlier court appearance. He will be sentenced separately in November.
An RSPCA officer visited in August 2019 and gave advice about licensing but no licence was ever issued for this address, the court was told. Weymouth Drive was linked to an address in Colliford Road via a witness and this was confirmed as the new residence of Hayward and Foster.
Both sellers were advertising puppies who were described as being “bred at home” but it appears a number of puppies were sourced from Wales, with Welsh vaccination cards containing details cut out or erased.
Kelly Bennett
Ms Stevens added: “In addition, adverts were placed on the selling sites with various names and numbers. Visitors to the Hayward address were still shown her licence documents despite its revocation.
“Search warrants were executed at both properties and puppies were found to be present at both with some adult dogs. Dead puppies were also found at both properties in the freezer (two at Weymouth and one at Colliford).
“Seizure of paperwork and phones further demonstrates the links between the two addresses and there is evidence of Hayward delivering to Bennett’s address.”
Nine puppies were found living in a shed at the rear of the garden at Colliford Road, they were all seized and taken into care. One tested positive for parvovirus and sadly died but the others, who were suffering from Giardia and other health problems, made full recoveries and were rehomed.
At Weymouth Drive, officers found three adult spaniels, five cocker spaniel puppies and two dead spaniel puppies which “appeared to have been dead for days”, Hazel said.
The court heard that the litter of spaniel puppies tested positive for Giardia, a small parasite that attacks the intestines.
RSPCA officers worked closely with the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit’s financial investigator who analysed financial records linked to the sellers, and attributed approximately £850,000 of income linked to the sale of puppies.
Seized phones were analysed and showed many messages responding to adverts for puppies, using different names.
Bank statements showed payments with the reference: “Puppy”.
At Weymouth Drive. Officers found four Rolex watches, a Chanel handbag, receipts for jewellery in excess of £20,000 and over £43,000 in cash.
Both Hayward and Kelly Bennett had been breeding dogs at home. Recovered vet records show continuous caesarean sections, “with some of these dogs being bred back-to-back with no thought for their welfare,” the CPS said.
The pair also regularly travelled to Swindon to collect puppies from unlicensed puppy farms and transported them in vans back to Essex.
Messages between them unveiled the callous way they set out to make money. In one text, Bennett said to Stacey Hayward: “Hurry up, sell them a dodgy dog and put another ad up. Lol.”
Other messages showed both Hayward and Kelly Bennett were sourcing puppies on a regular basis and placing adverts online using fake names and details, and claiming the puppies had been bred and reared in a family home.
Messages showed that both Hayward and Kelly Bennett were placing adverts online using fake names and details, and claiming the puppies had been bred and reared in a family home.
Messages on the phones also showed that Ricky Bennett had taken payments for the puppies, while witnesses had paid money into Foster’s bank account for puppies too.
RSPCA officers analysed the adverts and estimated that at least 100 adverts had been placed, advertising around 500 puppies, between December 2018 and March 2020, across Gumtree, Preloved and Pets4homes.
The court heard that the selling of puppies continued throughout lockdown, until May 2021.
The court heard devastating accounts from families that had spent between £600 and £800 on new puppies in 2019, only for them to develop serious illnesses within the first week.
One family shared how they claimed to have bought a puppy from Hayward in Billericay in July 2019, only to tragically lose her to parvovirus days later.
In her statement, read to the court by prosecuting barrister Hazel Stevens, the woman said she purchased her puppy, who her family named Mabel, from Hayward in Billericay on July 13, 2019 for £650. She noticed when she was there that the puppies were “nervous, scared and clinging to each other”, and that looking back now, “all the warning signs were there”, but despite this, she had fallen for Mabel and wanted to give her the best life possible.
The woman said: “At the time of purchase, Hayward said she wasn’t in possession of a vaccination card but it would posted to me on Monday morning. While on the journey home Mabel was sick in my car. I gave it the benefit of the doubt and thought it was just motion sickness. She was nervous, backing away from me and not eating or drinking.”
The woman said Mabel did improve but would sleep for long periods of time. She said Hayward never posted the vaccination card to her. On July 19, Mabel deteriorated and was taken to a vet, which confirmed she had parvovirus. The woman continued in her statement claiming that Hayward had been “dismissive” when she called her telling her about the virus, and allegedly said it was “a load of rubbish, the vets always say parvovirus”.
However, the next day, the vet called the woman to say Mabel had deteriorated overnight. The woman continued: “When I saw her she was lifeless. It will be an image I will never get out of my head. I said to the vets that it was best to put her to sleep.”
The court heard the woman’s partner contacted Hayward after Mabel’s death demanding a refund, as “they were sold a puppy with an illness that would end her life”. The woman added: “Stacey Hayward still hasn’t issued the refund.”
Ms Stevens read out various other statements to the jury from other families, including one whose puppy ended up being healthy, however, they described the vaccination card given to them for the dog as “a joke” due to it “having a big hole in the back” with no reference to who had actually jabbed the dog.
Another family, who bought a puppy they named Jack, said he was “terrified of anything” and that he would “eat so fast he almost choked himself”. His owner said “I felt like I was terrorising him”. When he was taken to the vet, no microchip could be found, which led the owner to think the original paperwork “was a scam”, the jury heard.
Another account was heard from a family who bought a puppy from Kelly Bennett, claiming that it was quickly diagnosed with giardia, which can cause diarrhoea, vomiting, weight loss, poor condition, or death. However, their dog managed to improve and became “the love of their life”.
The family said: “There was no remorse from Kelly Bennett, or any offer of a refund. We paid £650 plus dozens of pounds in vets bills. Kelly Bennett was very aggressive and evasive, saying she must have got like that after handing her over.”
In May 2022 the two couples admitted offences relating to the fraudulent sale of puppies, some of which were found dead in freezers. In May 2022 all four entered guilty pleas: two to fraud and two to acquiring criminal property. Kelly Bennett also indicated guilty pleas to two offences under the Animal Welfare Act while Ricky Bennett indicated a guilty plea to one animal welfare offence.
Sentencing |
Stacey Hayward – sentenced to 47 months in jail. Lifetime ban. on owning animals Kelly Bennett – 49 months’ imprisonment. Lifetime ban on owning animals. Ricky Bennett – jailed for three years for the fraud and animal welfare act crimes, plus for separate assault, criminal damage and money laundering charges, the former where he had physically attacked his wife and children while high on cocaine
Steven Foster was due to be sentenced on 10 November 2022 but no update is publicly available.
The four pleaded guilty to the following offences:
KELLY JEAN BENNETT, between 30 July 2019 and 2 May 2021, committed fraud by making false representations to members of the public as to the condition, breeding and history of puppies for sale, through advertising with false names and locations intended to represent the private sale of a home bred puppy, thereby intending to make a gain for yourself or another or to cause loss to another, contrary to Section 2 of the Fraud Act 2006.
KELLY JEAN BENNETT, on and before 9 January 2020 at Chafford Hundred, Grays, you, being jointly concerned with Ricky Jay Bennett, did not take such steps as were reasonable in all the circumstances to ensure that the needs of a number of dog and puppies for which you were responsible were met to the extent required by good practice in that through the introduction of puppies not bred at the premises you failed to meet the need to protect the animals from pain, injury, suffering or disease by failing to establish a full and effective biosecurity disease control programme including the identification and treatment of ill health, and failed to provide them with an appropriate environment contrary to Section 9(1) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006;
KELLY JEAN BENNETT, between 3 October 2019 and 19 October 2019, in the vicinity of Grays, Essex, you, being jointly concerned with Ricky Jay Bennett, did cause unnecessary suffering to a certain animal namely a Cavachon puppy now known as Kaila by failing to provide veterinary care in respect of the animal’s ill health and by selling the animal in an unfit state when you knew or ought reasonably to have known that your failure to act would have that effect or be likely to do so, contrary to Section 4(1) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
STACEY JANE HAYWARD, between 1 December 2018 and 2 May 2021, committed fraud by making false representations to members of the public as to the condition, breeding and history of puppies for sale, through advertising with false names and locations intended to represent the private sale of a home bred puppy, thereby intending to make a gain for yourself or another or to cause loss to another, contrary to Section 2 of the Fraud Act 2006.
RICKY JAY BENNETT, between 29 March 2019 and 13 September 2019, acquired criminal property, namely £39,900 paid into his bank account from puppy purchasers knowing or suspecting it to represent in whole or part and whether directly or indirectly the proceeds of crime, contrary to section 329(1) of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
RICKY JAY BENNETT, on and before 9 January 2020, at Chafford Hundred, Grays, you, being jointly concerned with Kelly Jean Bennett, did not take such steps as were reasonable in all the circumstances to ensure that the needs of a number of dog and puppies for which you were responsible were met to the extent required by good practice in that through the introduction of puppies not bred at the premises you failed to meet the need to protect the animals from pain, injury, suffering or disease by failing to establish a full and effective biosecurity disease control programme including the identification and treatment of ill health, and failed to provide them with an appropriate environment contrary to Section 9(1) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
STEVEN GILMORE FOSTER, between 18 December 2018 and 2 May 2021, acquired criminal property, namely £38,613 paid into his bank account from puppy purchasers knowing or suspecting it to represent in whole or part and whether directly or indirectly the proceeds of crime contrary to section 329(1) of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. Sentencing for FOSTER was adjourned until 10 November 2022.
Stacey Hayward has been on the radar of anti-puppy farm campaigners since at least 2009 and was even exposed in a TV documentary on illicit puppy selling. You can learn more about her here.
During her court hearing, Kelly Bennett asked for a jury member to be removed after they became upset when shown the video of the dead puppies in the freezer at Bennett’s address. Bennett felt the juror was “biased”. The judge dismissed the request saying he will not ask someone to not show natural human emotion.
CONVICTED (2022) | William Derrick Perriton aka Herbie Perriton, born 21 June 1980, and Rebecca ‘Ree’ Heath, born 29 November 1982, of 138 Church Road, Three Legged Cross, Wimborne BH21 – ran an illegal dog breeding business and failed to meet the needs of the animals they greedily exploited.
Perriton and Heath pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, failing to take steps to ensure then needs of animals were met and carrying out a dog breeding and selling business for 14 months without a licence.
When Dorset Council officers and a vet visited the couple’s address in Three Legged Cross, it was found that the canines did not have a suitable environment and diet, they were not able to exhibit normal behaviour patterns and they were not protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.
The court heard the couple were advised on four separate occasions in 2019 that they needed to apply for a licence to run a dog breeding business.
However, when the local authority executed the warrant in March 2020, no application for a licence had been made.
Prosecuting, Syan Ventom said the breeding operation took place at the defendants’ home address.
He said the needs of 39 of the of the dogs found on the premises were not being met.
The council first had contact with the couple in October 2017 when an officer visited following a complaint.
At the time, they told the officer they were considering dog breeding and advice was given on what they required to carry out that activity
A complaint about dog barking in September 2019 saw the council return to the address.
In October 2019, the defendants advertised a litter of German Shepherd puppies.
They did not act on further advice and continued to trade commercially, advertising on social media the court heard.
Mr Ventom said there was evidence of puppies being sold for between £900 and £1,200.
A telephone was seized after the warrant and conversations on WhatsApp showed Perriton being told he should advertise a puppy for sale at £3,500, to which he replied did not have a licence and the dog warden was “keeping an eye on him”.
The court heard the dogs were kept in two windowless, single-storey outbuildings. There was a strong smell of ammonia and bedding “ringing wet with urine”.
Mr Ventom said the conditions were described as “extremely unpleasant for dogs and humans”.
While the vet had sufficient evidence to make an order to seize the dogs, the defendants voluntarily handed over ownership.
The canines were taken into the care of the council, provided with veterinary treatment and eventually rehomed.
Mr Ventom said one of the Cane Corso bitches, Jet, had since been put down but there was no evidence before the court as to why this action had been taken.
Mitigating for both defendants, Laura Collier said: “In short they meant well and they did it badly and they disregarded to a huge extent the suffering that was caused to the animals.”
Ms Collier said the couple had four domestic dogs, who were well looked after.
Ms Collier said there was a “wealth of evidence” that her clients were “well-intentioned but incompetent in their conduct” adding that they had been “overwhelmed” by everything involved with running the operation and they had not been able to cope.
She referenced reports from a vet about healthy litters belonging to the couple since 2017, courses undertaken by Heath in canine health and puppy care, and positive reviews on social media from people who bought puppies.
The couple had applied for planning permission to change the use of the premises for dog breeding but “could not wait any longer” to start breeding due to the financial investment they had made, Ms Collier said.
The barrister said it was not necessary, appropriate or proportionate to impose a disqualification order.
The court heard the defendants made admissions when interviewed via post due to the pandemic and they had insisted they would not get involved in breeding again.
Judge Mousley ruled it was a case of high culpability but lesser harm despite the number of dogs involved.
The judge decided against imposing a disqualification order, which had been applied for in relation to owning dogs by the prosecution.
Sentencing | 12-month community order, with a requirement to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work each.No ban.
Perriton and Heath returned to court to hear details of the financial penalties – confiscation order and court costs – being levied against them following their conviction for illegal puppy selling.
A confiscation order is made against a convicted defendant ordering them to pay the amount of their financial benefit from crime. In this case, as the defendants were selling puppies without a licence, the income they made from selling puppies needs to be paid.
For the confiscation order, Perriton was ordered to pay £115,000 or risk 18 months in prison. Heath was ordered to pay £34,840 or risk nine months in prison. Both will also need to pay £4,500 each in prosecution costs, with a victim surcharge of £85 each.
Dorset Council are set to receive 37% of the confiscation order funds, which amounts to £55,440. This will go into the Community and Public Protection budget to be spent for the benefit of the community on general prevention and enforcement measures. The rest is split between central government and the HM Courts & Tribunals Service.
CONVICTED (2022) | dog transporter Aaron Phillips aka Pat Dale, born c. 1983, of Riverside Meadows, Ballynahinch BT24 9WN – caught with 44 dogs in cramped, filthy cages in his van.
Aaron Phillips. Picture: Facebook.
Professional dog transporter Aaron Phillips, who traded under the name AP Canine Transport, was prosecuted by the CPS in co-operation with animal welfare officers from Belfast City Council.
He pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to animals in relation to 44 dogs, including 28 puppies, found by police in two vehicles in Bordesley Lane, Redditch, on Tuesday December 8, 2020.
Phillips after he was arrested.
Phillips had transported the dogs, most of whom were from Northern Ireland, and stopped in Redditch to offload 16 of them.
He was accused of moving puppies under eight-weeks-old and which were not fit for the journey or in the company of their mother, according to court papers.
He was also charged with moving the pups in a way likely to cause injury or undue suffering and transporting 21 puppies/dogs without carrying documentation.
He was further charged with transporting a springer spaniel which was not fit for the journey and of moving dogs without authorisation from the competent authority.
The 44 dogs were in just 12 cages. The majority were not big enough for even one dog to travel in.
Some of the dogs were unable to stand up, sit or turn around and the floors of all cages were covered in a thin layer of sawdust which smelt of urine and faeces.
Phillips was initially arrested alongside three other men on suspicion of the theft of dogs alongside animal cruelty offences. Charges against the others were later dropped.
Police seized Phillips’ vehicle along with the dogs. A large sum of money was found in the vehicle.
Picture: Facebook.
Pcso Katie Hearnden Fellows said on the West Mercia Police neighbourhood alert system: “All the animals were seized under the Animal Welfare Act, and West Mercia took civil action against the owners of the dogs being transported.
“There were two civil court cases, whiUch saw West Mercia successfully retain all but two of the dogs seized.
“The remaining dogs were also rehomed through the Dogs Trust or with the help of foster carers within West Mercia Police, many of whom retained the dogs once court cases were concluded.”
Sentencing | eight-week prison sentence, suspended for 12-months. He was made to forfeit more than £20k cash found by police on his arrest under The Proceeds of Crime Act. Disqualified from transporting or arranging the transportation of any animal for three years.
Despite being banned from transporting or arranging the transportation of any animal until July 2025, Aaron Phillips continues to ply his pet transportation business on Facebook under the name KKC Couriers. He targets his services at unsavoury illegal bloodsports groups including Hare Coursing Crew. Screenshots below:
CONVICTED (2022) | puppy farmer Kenneth Stephen Purchase, born 18 March 1953, of the Allscott Mill, Allscott, Telford TF6 5EE – conned pet lovers into buying unhealthy dogs, some of whom had to be put down.
Ken Purchase, owner of the Allscott Mill Bed And Breakfast Telford, appears to have turned to breeding unhealthy puppies as a way out of his self-created financial hole.
Purchase, a B&B owner who has appeared on Channel 4’s Four in a Bed, sold at least 321 dogs after placing a number of adverts of puppies for sale on the Pets4Homes website between March 5 and September 12, 2018.
Several owners, who chose to buy from Purchase due to the fact that he had a legitimate dog breeder’s licence and thought he was a responsible person to buy from, found their beloved new pets were fraught with health problems including Canine Parvovirus – a highly contagious disease that affects a dog’s gastrointestinal tract and has a mortality rate of up to 91 per cent if untreated.
A number of dogs sold by Purchase later died, and one owner described how she kept thinking about the sound of dogs howling when she visited the squalid conditions, and that the thought of a dog she left behind gave her “nightmares”.
Purchase was told by Recorder Mr Anthony Hawks that his record keeping for the dogs including for their vaccinations was “a disgrace”.
Shrewsbury Crown Court heard that Purchase had been granted a licence to breed and sell from a maximum of 12 female dogs, each of which would provide one litter per year.
A separate licence, known as a “pet shop licence”, must be obtained for a breeder to be able to buy dogs from other sources and sell them on. The court heard that Purchase had applied for such a licence, but had never been granted one.
One of Purchase’s customers said in a victim impact statement heard by the court that when she visited she was confronted with “a barn full of dogs”, and that she chose to buy a West Highland Terrier puppy “to rescue it”.
The dog suffered from health problems. She said there was another one in the pen which “appeared lifeless”, and said she “had nightmares” about the dog she left behind.
Another customer, who also bought a Westie puppy, took his dog to the vets to find out it had Canine Parovirus. It was hospitalised nine days after he bought it for £545. Purchase told him the dog must have caught the virus at the vets.
A third victim said she named her Bichon Frise pup Bonnie, after a friend who had recently died. The dog, which she bought from Purchase, also suffered health problems and had to be put down. The owner said the vet’s bills meant she couldn’t afford her rent and had to move house. “The whole ordeal was extremely stressful,” she said.
Purchase pleaded guilty to one offence of engaging in a commercial practice which was a misleading action, contrary to the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 and European Communities Act 1972.
His defence advocate appealed to the Recorder not to send him to prison due to Purchase’s own health problems.
Recorder Hawks told Purchase: “I thought about sending you to prison. You deserve to go to prison.”
But, given the fact that sentencing powers would mean a short period in custody, and that Purchase’s health issues would cause problems for prison staff, the Recorder chose to fine him £25,000 and order him to pay £25,000 in court costs.
The judge also made a Confiscation Order of £50,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
In addition, Purchase was told to pay £1,286 compensation to victims.
“You chose to make money by deceiving people deliberately, so now you are going to have to pay,” added the Recorder.
If he doesn’t pay, Purchase will face 15 months behind bars.
Purchase is a former boxing promoter operating under the name Boxfrog Promotions. In October 2016 Birmingham Live reported how scores of fight fans had been left out of pocket after a number of ‘meet and greet’ events failed to materialise. Fans trying to get their money back from Purchase met with a brick wall. Purchase told news reporters that he was in financial difficulty and likely heading towards bankruptcy.
CONVICTED (2022) | puppy farmers Karl Shellard, born 14 November 1978, and Victoria Shellard, born 12 September 1981, of Hill Cottage, Bonvilston, Cardiff CF5 6TR
Karl and Victoria Shellard, from Bonvilston, Vale of Glamorgan, forced breeding bitches to undergo multiple pregnancies and deliver more than one litter a year.
The money-grubbing Shellards ran and owned a dog breeding business under the name PosherBulls Ltd from their home in Bonvilston near Cardif, but failed to obtain an appropriate licence.
They also failed to meet the needs of the breeding bitches in their care after forcing them to undergo multiple pregnancies and deliver more than one litter a year, which is considered an animal welfare offence.
Karl Shellard and his wife ran a lucrative unlicensed dog breeding business described as a “puppy farm” but have now been ordered to pay £400,000.
Despite illegally running the business, the couple had made in the region of £372,000 off the back of selling bulldog puppies.
Speaking at a sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday 6 January, Judge David Wynn Morgan said: “You were running a puppy farm and doing it to make money, and you made a great deal of money indeed. You could have run an extremely profitable business if you were properly registered but you’re going to pay the price for that folly.”
The pair were told on numerous occasions they needed to apply for a licence from Vale of Glamorgan council but ignored the authorities.
When an investigation into the business was launched, however, an expert veterinary surgeon concluded if they had applied for a licence they would not be granted one.
The Shellards took steps to avoid detection by the local authority by using “co-ownership contracts”, where they paid others to officially own or house the dogs.
The couple were visited by animal welfare officers on January 8, 2018, when they were told they would need to apply for a breeder’s licence, but the full extent of the business’ activities was unknown at that stage.
Despite flouting the rules, prosecutor Tim Evans said the Shellards were openly advertising PosherBulls through a website and social media, in which they claimed to be “experienced breeders” and “leaders in distinguished Bulldogs of all colours”.
The Shellards were told on numerous occasions they needed to apply for a licence from Vale of Glamorgan council but ignored the authorities.
A warrant was executed at the couple’s four-bedroom detached home in Bonvilston on December 16, 2019, and at two other properties connected with the business.
Found at the Shellard home were 28 dogs and an outbuilding in the garden contained a laboratory with equipment including a multipurpose centrifuge machine, microscopes, equipment for storing and collecting semen, and for taking blood. Officers also found a signed part-completed Breeder Licence Application Form which had never been sent off.
At another property in Bonvilston, officers discovered 24 dogs and a property in North Cornelly was found to house another six dogs.
Investigations under the Proceeds of Crime Act revealed the couple had made £372,531 illegally but had available assets of £1,041,714. Here Shellard is pictured at his home with some of the animals he exploited.
Mr Evans said that despite knowing they should be licensed, the Shellards continued to breed dogs and even made several alterations to the dog accommodation at their property adding outside purpose-built kennels, a dog run and fitting out the summerhouse to house dogs with litters.
He said: “Despite these obvious works to facilitate their dog breeding business they failed to apply for a breeding licence until January 2020. That was two weeks after the execution of a warrant at the premises and almost two years after being told that a licence was necessary.”
During his interview, Karl Shellard said he had not sent off the licence application as they were trying to sell their home, and would have had to change their address on the application. He admitted practising dog breeding for six years despite not having a licence
Victoria Shellard said they would sell puppies for anything between £1,500 and £20,000. They both admitted back to back breeding, where dogs had delivered more than one litter in a 12-month period.
The court heard the couple bred at least 67 litters between 2014 and 2020, with information on known C-sections indicating 43 litters had been delivered between 2018 and 2019.
One dog named Coco had delivered six litters within a four-year period while numerous others were forced to deliver two litters in less than a 12-month period.
Mr Evans said: “This back-to-back breeding would have been a licensing offence had they been licensed breeders. It is something that even legitimate breeders should never do.
“But, irrespective of the absence of a breeder’s licence, it an animal welfare offence as the recovery from a C-section takes many months and the Shellards were artificially inseminating these dogs long before they were healthy enough to undergo a pregnancy and subsequent C-section again. This was a positive decision to breed the animals in that way.”
After the couple officially applied for breeding licence, a vet inspection took place at their home on February 10, 2021, but a licence wasn’t granted due to poorly-managed health issues, unfit accommodation and lack of space for dogs, a lack of understanding the guidelines and poor isolation facilities for unvaccinated dogs.
A further report concluded the Shellards had run a business which “maximised puppy production without regard to the health and welfare of the dogs”.
The pair later pleaded guilty to breeding dogs without a licence between 2017 and 2020 and nine counts of failing to ensure the needs of a protected animal for which they were responsible.
Investigations under the Proceeds of Crime Act revealed the couple had made £372,531 illegally but had available assets of £1,041,714.
In mitigation, Heath Edwards said the business was started by Karl Shellard who became involved with Bulldogs as a hobby and his enthusiasm led him to breeding the animals. He said Victoria Shellard became involved in the financial and administrative side of the business.
The barrister said the business became “nationally and internationally recognised” for the quality of the dogs they bred, which he described as “healthy and of unquestionable pedigree”.
Mr Edwards said the couple, who share three children, would “pay a significant price” for failing to apply for a licence and had been left “in limbo” waiting for court proceedings to conclude.
Sentencing, Judge Wynn Morgan said: “Those with long memories recall the scandals of the puppy farms of west Wales and sickening stories of dogs being bred through breeding bitches in appalling and squalid conditions. The result of those scandals was the legislation put in place to monitor and regulate the breeding of dogs.
“That is why you were obliged to register your business so it could be properly regulated but you chose, despite being told about it, not to do it. The reasons put forward are wholly inadequate because that is the law and anyone who wanted to do what you have done had to abide by that.”
Sentencing: they were fined £19,000 each, a total of £38,000 and were ordered to pay £372,531. They were also ordered to pay court costs of £43,775, making a total of £453,307. The couple have three months to pay or receive 24 months imprisonment in default.
The Shellards featured in an undercover BBC Panorama investigation into extreme dog breeding and its links with organised crime. Available to watch on the iPlayer here.
We collate data on animal cruelty convictions in the UK
