Lynda Cooper, 75, of Pontypool, has pleaded guilty to 11 animal welfare charges. As a former kennel owner, she was responsible for breeding gundogs such as pointers and Bracco Italianos under the name Trosnant.
A member of the general public called the Torfaen County Borough Council in August 2024 to raise concerns about the welfare of animals and to report what they believed was illegal breeding at Cooper’s facilities.
Officers from the RSPCA went to the address, but they were not allowed to inside.
After returning with a warrant, police from the Torfaen council and a veterinarian discovered forty-one canines that were “in an appalling state.”
In addition to the puppies, several of the dogs were suffering from medical concerns such as ulcers, swelling, and problems with their teeth. The puppies were hungry.
They were also found to be living in unsuitable conditions.
It was determined that the animals needed immediate veterinarian attention; therefore, they were taken from the premises.
In a tragic turn of events, five of the dogs had to be put down because of their bad condition, and two more dogs passed away some months after they were rehomed.
Cooper had been licensed to breed dogs between 2022 and 2023, but she did not renew her licence, meaning she had been operating unlawfully for around two years. This was discovered through checks.
There was additional evidence that she sought to deceive consumers by altering the dogs’ birth dates, replacing the chips on their collars, and selling cross-breed dogs as thoroughbreds.
The attorney for Cooper’s defence stated in front of the judge that she had “spiralled” after experiencing a lost loved one.
During Cooper’s sentencing, Recorder Greg Bull KC told her, “Your breeding without a licence took place over a period of two years, which is a violation of every rule in the book.”
Sara Rosser, who is the chief of operations at Hope Rescue and was engaged in the rescue operation as well as the care of the dogs, stated that “This was one of the most challenging and distressing cases our experienced team has been involved in.” owing not only to the sheer quantity of dogs but also to the state in which they are kept.
“When we arrived, the dogs were in a deplorable condition; they were severely underweight, and many of them were suffering from advanced dental disease and chronic ear infections.”
It was impossible for older dogs to reach food before younger pups because they had lost muscle mass and mobility and were so physically exhausted that they were unable to do so. It was necessary to provide further care and rehabilitation for several of the dogs, particularly the younger ones, because they were extremely anxious and lacked valuable life experience.
After pleading guilty to 11 animal welfare offences and breeding dogs without a licence, Lynda Cooper was sentenced to a 12-month jail sentence on Friday at Cardiff Crown Court. The sentence was suspended for two years with restrictions, and she was given a sentence that was initially suspended for two years.
The infliction of undue pain on animals and the failure to meet their welfare requirements were among the violations that were committed.
Furthermore, she was forced to pay a sum of £10,000 towards the council’s costs, in addition to a fee of £187, and was prohibited from having dogs for a period of ten years.
Image Credit: Crufts, Torfaen County Council, and Nation Cymru (https://nation.cymru/).
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