OWNER OF NORTHUMBERLAND REPTILE STORE RECEIVES SUSPENDED PRISON SENTENCE FOR ANIMAL CRUELTY
Owners of a reptile store who caused unnecessary suffering to animals in their care have been given suspended prison sentences.The RSPCA attended Reptile Recovery and Discovery, on Station Road, Ashington, in March last year after receiving reports that animals in the shop were being neglected.
Callum McNicholas, prosecuting, told Newcastle Crown Court: "They saw inadequate and unhealthy conditions." As a consequence, the RSPCA inspector provided a verbal warning to Paul Young, who owned the business with his daughter, Casey Sistrunk.
The inspector returned around a month later and Mr McNicholas said: "She saw multiple bearded dragons in a single vivarium with one in a plastic tub with a closed lid.
Further investigations showed three animals were found deceased in a freezer.
Two were in a single vivarium and she believed them deceased initially but they were later found to be alive.
"The conditions were inappropriate.
There was no heat and no UV light.
The deceased dragons were emaciated and in poor condition and had multiple digits missing.
Also the boa was found in a state consistent with septicemia.
All three were malnourished before death.
Around a month later, the RSPCA returned again and found animals were underweight and in poor condition.
Young said they were making changes but some hadn't been completed because of a lack of funds.
Mr McNicholas said: "He said he was not sure what had happened to the deceased animals but said a former member of staff put them in the freezer." He added that people had recently brought in other animals because they no longer wanted them.
Mr McNicholas said: "He did apologise for the overall conditions and accepted they were unacceptable.
"He said they became overwhelmed with the amount of people who wanted to dispose of their animals and they took in more than they should have done, which led to the conditions which were observed." Lorraine Mustard, for Sistrunk, said: "There's no evidence of maliciousness.
She felt they were unable to say no to taking in more animals.
"Some people can be overwhelmed, almost paralysed into inaction.
It was not driven by malice, she simply had too much on her plate.
"There were a number of volunteers.
Because of the demands on her life it was difficult to keep on top of things.
"She fully accepts it was her responsibility and she's remorseful." The court heard Young earns £120,000 working in the NHS in a caring role.
Questioned by Judge Amanda Rippon as to why he couldn't buy an extra vivarium for less than £100, he said they were investing in two other buildings and buying a large vivarium.
When the judge suggested one of the bearded dragons was in a bucket with a lid on, he said: "There was no bucket, it was a plastic box.
The plastic container was properly vented so the animal could temporarily exist." He said this was a short term measure while expansion work was undertaken.
He added: "A number of the bearded dragons came in with missing digits.
They were brought in by members of the public not long before the visit of the RSPCA." Asked if he was therefore denying responsibility, he said: "I think we are responsible.
It was our responsibility to support those animals we received." Judge Rippon said: "But you didn't, you kept them in a place where they were not going to recover well.
They were still dehydrated and suffering from malnourishment." The court heard Young used to be in the army and has a good work history.
Young, 57, of West View Ashington, admitted four counts of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and Sistrunk, 28, of Talisman Way, Blyth, admitted five charges of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.
Passing sentence, Judge Rippon said the RSPCA had been alerted about the state of animals by a concerned member of the public.
She said: "I entirely accept you set up the business in the first place because you both cared for and wanted to care for these types of animals.
"After that, to some extent, matters got out of control and members of the public were leaving their pets, having decided they no longer wanted them, with you and some were not in the best of care when you got them.
There were more than 170 animals in a relatively small premises.
You were keeping them in a poor state, they were not being kept as they should have been.
They didn't have the space they needed, they were not being kept in a vivarium or there were too many in the vivarium." The judge, who referred to "those poor creatures", told Young: "You had a significant income and significant outgoings.
You had the funds to improve the lot of these animals immediately.
There should have been no waiting for the expansion.
Their situation should have been improved immediately by the purchase of additional vivarium and veterinary care.
I think you have both been misguided and naive.
I accept there was no malicious intent here." Young and Sistrunk were each sentenced to 12 months suspended for two years with 150 hours of unpaid work and a four-month electronically monitored curfew between 7 pm and 6 am.
Judge Rippon said: "I think that's particularly appropriate as a daily reminder on your ankle of what you have done and I suppose caging you in your homes for a period of time is appropriate given what you did to these poor animals." "These animals are entirely dependent on us.
They can't do anything about their circumstances.
If those who have responsibility for their care do not care for them then they suffer terribly and that's what happened in this case." Young must also pay £4,000 in costs and Sistrunk has to pay £1,000 in costs.
