A woman and a man have been sentenced to 22 weeks in prison after pleading guilty to unlicensed dog breeding and animal cruelty.
Sonia Black, from Banbury, and Jason Walsh, from Reading, were involved in running an illegal operation where they bred and sold dogs.
They had their sentences suspended for 12 months, during which they are required to complete 100 hours of unpaid work.
Each was also fined £4,154 and banned from keeping dogs.
The court heard that Black and Walsh bred and sold at least 116 puppies illegally between January 2019 and August 2024.
In one notable incident, a Doberman in their care went into labor and they did not seek veterinary support for more than 12 hours, leading to the stillbirth of one puppy and unnecessary suffering for the mother.
Cherwell District Council investigated the case, with councillor Rob Parkinson condemning the cruelty and emphasizing that unlicensed breeders are not inspected or regulated under the Animal Welfare Act, risking harm to animals and emotional distress to owners.
Court Outcome
Conviction and Sentencing Details
Sentenced
Detected legal outcome
A woman and a man have been sentenced to 22 weeks in prison after pleading guilty to unlicensed dog breeding and animal cruelty. Sonia Black, from Banbury, and Jason Walsh, from Reading, were involved in running an illegal operation wher...
Prison sentence
22 weeks
A woman and a man have been sentenced to 22 weeks in prison after pleading guilty to unlicensed dog breeding and animal cruelty
Suspended sentence
12 months
They had their sentences suspended for 12 months, during which they are required to complete 100 hours of unpaid work
Community order
12 months
They had their sentences suspended for 12 months, during which they are required to complete 100 hours of unpaid work
Fine or payment
Each was also fined 4,154 and banned from keeping dogs
