Puppy dealers jailed for suffering ‘on an almost industrial scale’

RSPCA Inspector Gilly Howard and Sergeant Jon Martin help one of the frail animals

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A GANG of puppy farmers who sold diseased and dying pups to unsuspecting members of the public have been jailed.

Members of the gang, sentenced by Oldham magistrates yesterday, were said to have earned £8,000 a week from the venture.

Paula Wood (46), of Owler Lane, Chadderton, James Brady (53), of Blackley, Louise Colwell (28) and Kenneth Colwell (27), of Fields New Road, Chadderton, and Thomas Greally (29) and Stacey Greally (30), of Valentine Street, Failsworth, all pleaded guilty to a string of animal welfare offences.

The farms, in Failsworth and Chadderton, came to the attention of the authorities after complaints by buyers. Raids in November 2013 found puppies suffering kennel cough, worms, diarrhoea and other viruses.

Out of 39 puppies seized - including chihuahuas, pomeranians, spaniels, shih tzus and Yorkshire terriers - six were put down and three-quarters had significant ailments. It is suspected they had been imported from across Europe and sold as an organised business.

Other items seized included around £3,500 cash and a guide to selling puppies.

Chief Inspector Ian Briggs of the RSPCA’s special operations unit, said: “This case shows the lengths some dealers will go to, making it look like the puppies had been bred in a homely environment.

“They produce glossy brochures, healthcheck cards and fancy looking pedigree documents that aren’t worth the paper they’re written on. They rent houses to make them look like family homes, from which they peddle these sick puppies.

“It’s organised crime and animal suffering on an almost industrial scale.”

Thomas Greally and Kenneth Colwell were sentenced to 20 weeks in jail, Brady to 10 weeks.

District Judge Qureshi said the number of puppies Thomas Greally admitted to selling - for between £550 and £650 each - meant some weeks he would have made more than £8,000.

Wood was given a 12 week jail sentence suspended for 12 months; 250 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £1,000 in costs.

Louise Colwell and Stacey Greally were sentenced to 20 weeks suspended for 12 months, 300 hours of unpaid work and £2,000 in costs. All six were banned from keeping dogs for life.