PUPPY FARMING CONSPIRACY GANG FROM HAYES AND IVER HEATH BUSTED FOR MILLIONS IN FRAUD AND ANIMAL CRUELTY

A notorious group involved in illegal puppy trading, known as the Puppy Farming Conspiracy Gang, operating primarily out of Hayes and Iver Heath, has been brought to justice after a lengthy investigation by the RSPCA and law enforcement agencies. The gang, which included Irish travellers Simon O’Donnell, Margaret McDonagh, Edward Stokes, Thomas Stokes, Thomas O’Donnell, and Mary McDonagh, amassed millions of pounds through the sale of sick and dying puppies, many of which were imported from Ireland or bred under appalling conditions.

Central to their operation was a corrupt veterinarian, Daniel Doherty, who ran two veterinary clinics in Uxbridge. Evidence revealed that Doherty provided the gang with vaccination and health certificates falsely indicating that the puppies were healthy and locally bred. Over the course of the operation, Doherty pocketed at least £75,000 from these fraudulent activities. Despite his initial conviction in 2018, Doherty’s case was subject to multiple legal reviews, leading to a total prison sentence of two years, suspended for 18 months, and a brief period of incarceration after a retrial in 2020. Remarkably, he returned to work as a veterinary surgeon shortly after his release.

The investigation uncovered that nearly 5,000 puppies, many of them designer breeds such as Yorkies, Cavapoos, and Labradoodles, were sold at prices ranging from £350 to £650 each. The gang’s sales generated an estimated revenue of over £2.5 million during a five-year span, from 2011 to 2016, although authorities believe the true figure could be much higher. The puppies were advertised online, with buyers led to believe they were purchasing well-bred, family-raised animals, often shown images of the mother dogs in domestic settings. In reality, these animals were often stooge dogs bought specifically to deceive prospective buyers.

Between 2014 and 2016, the gang was most active, with their operations culminating in a series of police and RSPCA raids. On May 27, 2016, authorities executed warrants at four addresses in Hayes: Bedwell Gardens, Bradenham Road, Coldharbour Lane, and Rosedale Avenue. A subsequent raid took place on February 1, 2017, at a property in Tenaplas Drive, Upper Basildon, conducted by Thames Valley Police. During these raids, officers discovered 46 dogs and puppies confined in makeshift conditions within sheds, garages, and outbuildings, or running loose in yards and gardens. Tragically, the bodies of four Yorkshire terrier puppies, wrapped in black bin bags, were found scattered in the Coldharbour Lane property’s garden. Despite veterinary intervention, these puppies succumbed to parvovirus.

Further seizures included nine dogs from a Berkshire address, all taken into RSPCA care. The investigation revealed that the gang was engaged in a complex and highly organized scheme, involving the importation of puppies from Ireland, their transport to various addresses, and their sale through online advertisements. The operation was highly profitable, with forensic analysis estimating annual earnings of approximately £800,000 during its peak.

RSPCA inspector Kirsty Withnall, who played a key role in dismantling the gang alongside the Metropolitan Police, explained that the group consisted of family members and their partners. She detailed how Edward and Mary Teresa Stokes continued their illegal activities from a new address in Reading, Berkshire, while Thomas Stokes operated from another property in Feltham. The network was sophisticated, employing aliases, changing phone numbers, and falsifying paperwork to mislead buyers. Buyers were often convinced that the puppies came from loving homes, with the mother dogs presented as family pets, although many of these animals were staged or bought specifically for this purpose.

Victims of the scam numbered at least 83, with many reporting severe health issues in their puppies, leading to costly veterinary bills or the animals’ deaths. Twenty-five puppies died or had to be euthanized due to conditions such as parvovirus, a consequence of poor breeding and inadequate care. The gang’s deception extended to the presentation of false documentation, including pedigree and vaccination certificates, which did not correspond to the actual animals.

Legal proceedings resulted in significant sentences for the key members. Simon O’Donnell, born August 23, 1987, of Bradenham Road, Hayes, received a four-year prison sentence after his initial conviction was increased on appeal. He was disqualified from keeping dogs for life and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £170. Thomas Stokes, born May 16, 1992, of Coldharbour Lane, Hayes, was sentenced to four years and eight months in prison, also banned from owning dogs for life, with a £170 surcharge. Thomas O’Donnell, born January 27, 1989, of Bedwell Gardens, Hayes, received a two-year suspended sentence, along with community service and a lifetime ban on dog ownership. Margaret McDonagh, born September 25, 1990, and Mary McDonagh, born September 15, 1989, both from Hayes, received community orders and were prohibited from keeping dogs pending further court applications. Edward Stokes, born December 10, 1982, of Rosedale Avenue, Hayes, and later Upper Basildon, was sentenced to a suspended two-year prison term, later increased to four years and eight months on appeal, and was given a lifetime ban on dog ownership for ten years.

In August 2018, Thomas Stokes’s sentence was extended after police found him attempting to sell unwell dogs in High Wycombe, where officers stopped his car and discovered three cockapoos in the boot. Stokes admitted additional fraud and animal welfare offences, leading to an overall sentence of nearly seven years in prison.

RSPCA inspector Kirsty Withnall emphasized the ongoing danger posed by such criminal enterprises, stating, “It goes to show how much money there is to be made in this trade that people will take the risk and continue selling, despite being investigated. Sadly, though, it’s the animals who pay the price when these dealers fail to prioritize their health and welfare.”

In 2022, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) sanctioned Daniel Doherty, suspending him from the register for one month following his conviction. The RCVS noted that Doherty’s actions appeared motivated by animal welfare concerns rather than financial gain, which influenced their decision to impose a brief suspension, despite his continued involvement in vaccinating puppies from questionable sources.