MIDLANDS DOG BREEDER BANNED FOR ANIMAL WELFARE OFFENCES AFTER £140K BUSINESS
A Midlands dog breeder who claimed to be the UK's best and made more than £140,000 has been convicted of animal welfare offences.Tracy Hovell had claimed to be Britain's top Labradoodle breeder, making thousands of pounds from her 'Briemdoodles' business in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire.
Concerns were raised with Ashfield District Council over how she was caring for her animals.
She was convicted of six offences under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 in December last year.
Hovell, now of Queen Street, Worksop, then lodged an appeal over her conviction.
READ MORE: Lithuanian migrant threatened to 'cut married couple into pieces' during Tesco stabbing But earlier this month, she failed to show up at her appeal hearing at court, NottinghamshireLive reports.
A High Court judge dismissed the case and ordered her to pay the council £5,000 in court costs.
It means Hovell remains banned from owning animals, keeping or participating in the keeping of animals, dealing in animals, transporting animals and from being a party to an agreement whereby she could control or influence the way that animals are kept for a period of five years, although she is allowed to keep one dog as a pet.
Councillor Matthew Relf, executive lead member for growth, regeneration and local planning, said: "Hovell’s conviction was down to concerns raised about the welfare of her dogs and the work of Ashfield District Council’s Environmental Health Officers and legal team." "Laws protecting animal welfare are vitally important in ensuring they are treated humanely." "As this case demonstrates, when people flout those laws, we will not hesitate to act."
