CLEATOR MOOR MAN BANNED FROM KEEPING ANIMALS AFTER 11 DOGS SEIZED
A MAN has been banned from keeping animals for life after police found 11 dogs – including seven puppies – living in squalid conditions.Reggie Bennett, 32, was keeping the dogs at a property in Cleator Moor where rooms were ‘littered with faeces’ and there was an ‘overpowering’ smell of urine.
The dogs, including one which had recently given birth, did not have access to food and water and the puppies, which were only a few weeks old, were ‘lying around in excrement and urine’.
One of the dogs was identified as a banned XL Bully.
Bennett admitted five animal welfare offences and possessing a fighting dog when he appeared before Workington Magistrates Court.
Outlining the offences, prosecutor Pamela Fee said police had attended the property at Greystone Place in Cleator Moor to speak to Bennett about a different matter.
The officers found a total of 11 dogs in the property and were ‘concerned’ about the conditions.
All of the dogs were seized.
One of the attending officers described the exterior of the property as ‘unkempt’ with a lot of dog excrement and rubbish outside.
A bull breed type dog called Bella was found inside and a litter of puppies were in the kitchen where the floor was ‘littered with faeces’.
There was no food or water for Bella to access, Ms Fee said.
Three more dogs were found in a room that was no bigger than two-metres by four-metres.
Dog faeces littered the floor and there was no access to food and water.
Ms Fee said there were three rooms in the property where the dogs were kept and these were ‘essentially used as a dog toilet’.
Rooms where children were sleeping were free of dog waste, the court heard.
The dogs were checked over by a vet.
Bella was found to have mites and the puppies had a number of health issues.
Some had their eyes rolled back due to inbreeding and needed surgery.
During police interview, Bennett claimed the dogs were not his and said he was not guilty of animal welfare offences.
Ms Fee said Bennett had previously entered not guilty pleas but changed his pleas on the day of trial after being shown body worn footage in which he referred to the dogs as his.
The total costs for Cumbria Police to keep all 11 dogs over 310 nights was £67,279.42, the court was told.
Bennett had initially refused to sign the dogs over to Cumbria Police but had agreed to do so before being sentenced.
Ms Fee said the prosecution would seek an animal disqualification order and suggested that Bennett was ‘not a fit and proper person’ to be keeping dogs.
David Wales, defending, said circumstances in the defendant’s life had led to the offences.
He said Bennett had suffered for a long time with ‘complex mental health problems’.
He explained that the dogs belonged to a friend and Bennett had limited control over their living conditions.
The defendant’s guilty plea was delayed on legal advice until the video footage emerged, Mr Wales said.
Bennett, of Main Street, Cleator, was also given a 12-month community order with 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days and a 108-day alcohol abstinence and monitoring requirement.
He was ordered to pay £250 in compensation to the police and £250 to the vets.
Bennett can apply to lift the lifetime ban on keeping animals after 10 years.
