ELLIS HOPKINS BRED AND SOLD SICK PUPPIES IN COALVILLE - LICENCE REVOKED

Ellis Hopkins, a known figure in the Coalville area, has been at the center of a disturbing animal welfare scandal involving the sale of sick and dying puppies. Born on December 15, 2000, Hopkins, who resides at Bardon Lodge, Beveridge Lane, Bardon Hill, Coalville LE67 1TB, was previously licensed as a dog breeder but has now lost that license following numerous breaches of animal welfare regulations.

Hopkins operated under the name Bardon Bullies, specializing in French bulldogs and American pocket bullies. She marketed her puppies through her Instagram account, where she promoted her breeding business to her followers. Tragically, reports indicate that some of the puppies sold by Hopkins were in poor health, underweight, lethargic, and living in unsanitary conditions with animal waste on the floors of her kennels. One puppy, in particular, died shortly after being purchased, highlighting the severity of the issues involved.

Investigations into Hopkins' breeding practices were initiated after multiple reports from witnesses to the RSPCA. These witnesses described the puppies for sale as being in a state of neglect, which prompted further scrutiny of her operations. The North West Leicestershire District Council responded by revoking her breeding license, citing serious breaches of animal welfare laws.

Local authorities and animal welfare officials found that Hopkins had violated several regulations. During a routine inspection in July 2020, she failed to produce records of litters, which are legally required to track the health and breeding history of her dogs. Additionally, puppies sold by Hopkins were not accompanied by vaccination records, veterinary checks, or treatments for fleas and worms, raising concerns about their health and safety.

Her license limited her to breeding only one litter at a time and no more than five litters per year, with each female dog only bred once annually to prevent suffering and health issues. However, during a police visit to her home in September 2020, officers discovered a shocking number of dogs—38 in total—including puppies from at least five different litters. This indicated she had exceeded her permitted breeding quota and had bred some of her female dogs more than once within a 12-month period, which her license explicitly prohibited.

Further investigations revealed that Hopkins had also provided misleading information to authorities during inspections. She was found to have bred dogs more frequently than allowed and failed to maintain proper records, which is a violation of animal welfare laws. Despite these breaches, she has not yet faced criminal charges for animal cruelty, but her license has been officially revoked, effectively ending her breeding activities.

Ellis Hopkins is also known for her career as a professional boxer, signed with MTK Global and trained by Asgar Tair, who is also known for training Tyson Fury. She has a notable presence in the sports world, but her involvement in this animal welfare case has cast a shadow over her reputation. Her father, Elvis Hopkins, who is the head coach at Kings Gym in Leicester, is also involved in dog breeding and advertises dogs for sale on his Facebook profile, adding another layer to the ongoing story.

Local officials, including Councillor Andrew Woodman, have expressed their concern and condemnation of Hopkins' actions. He emphasized the importance of licensing and animal welfare standards, stating, “Our licensing teams play an important role in ensuring animal welfare standards are met in the district and will always respond to concerns and complaints raised by the public. It is clear that this breeder had no respect for their licence or the dogs they had a responsibility for, and I’m sure our communities will join me in applauding our officers for the action they have taken.”