Five members of a puppy farm gang caught selling sick dogs to unsuspecting customers during the Coronavirus period have each been handed jail sentences.
Who was involved in the puppy farm gang?
As per Daily Mail News reporting, the five members of the puppy farm gang include:
- 39-year-old Wally David Beaney
- 63-year-old Louise Smith
- 36-year-old Charlotte Lauren Byron
- 35-year-old Maria Smith
- 60-year-old Debbie Lorraine Lampard.
All five are residents of Kent County.
The gang — who ran an illegal puppy mill in Kent, England — made over $600,000 (£500,000) through their fraudulent operations. They all received their sentences on Jan. 25.
How did they get arrested?
Kent Police, together with inspectors from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), raided the gang’s properties in September 2021 following complaints from previous customers.
Authorities said they found over 30 puppies “in dark and smelly conditions.” Unfortunately, some required urgent medical attention.
Additionally, a thorough inspection of the gang’s properties led to the discovery of a couple of neglected adult dogs. Moreover, two of these dogs were pregnant, had parasites, and suffered from dental diseases.
In a statement, RSPCA Inspector Vikki Dawe shared: “These dogs were all being kept in horrible conditions with very poor care, which did not remotely reflect the expectations of buyers who saw the adverts placed for them.”
Authorities seized all remaining dogs from the gang’s properties.
What happened to the dogs they sold?
According to officials, the puppy farm gang sold dogs who had already contracted the deadly Parvo virus to unsuspecting customers.
In one instance, a buyer purchased four Golden Retriever puppies from one of the gang members. However, all the pups died within four days.
A veterinarian who looked into the puppies’ cause of death presented his statement to the Woolwich Crown Court. They shared: “It is my opinion that the seller failed to protect the three pups discussed in this report by not sharing with the new owners that he had detected signs of disease in another litter mate.”
Commenting on the case, Sergeant Darren Walshaw of Kent Police’s Rural Task Force stated: “Those convicted reaped considerable financial benefit by repeatedly breeding dogs, all while failing to provide the animals and their puppies with appropriate medical care, such as worming medication and inoculations.”
