LORETTA BASTIN AND CLARE TOYE: WICKFORD DOG FARMERS CONVICTED OF CRUELTY AND ILLEGAL PET TRADING
| Red Rose Database
Wickford Animal Abuser
In a significant crackdown on animal cruelty and illegal pet trading, authorities uncovered disturbing conditions at Dobe Farm Kennels, located in Wickford. The operation was run by mother and daughter duo, Loretta Bastin and Clare Amanda Toye, who were both implicated in a series of serious offenses involving the welfare of numerous dogs.
During a coordinated raid conducted by the RSPCA, Essex Police, and Chelmsford Council on June 9, 2015, a total of 42 dogs were seized from the premises. The investigation was prompted by concerns raised about the treatment and living conditions of the animals at Dobe Farm, which had long been suspected of neglect and abuse.
Loretta Bastin, born on April 1, 1951, and residing at Dobe Farm on Meadow Lane, Wickford SS11 7DX, and her daughter Clare Toye, born on April 3, 1973, of 29 Innes Close, Wickford SS12 9DF, faced multiple charges related to their management of the kennels. The pair had previously been featured in a BBC documentary in 2009, which alleged that Bastin was involved in selling sick and dying dogs, raising longstanding concerns about their practices.
In court, Bastin admitted to one count of animal cruelty, one count of operating a pet shop while disqualified, and one count of breeding dogs without a license. Clare Toye pleaded guilty to five counts of animal cruelty and one count of trading as a pet shop without a license. The charges detailed how both women caused unnecessary suffering to the animals by neglecting to prevent pain, injury, and disease. Evidence presented in court indicated that dogs suffering from illness were not properly segregated from healthy animals, further exacerbating their plight.
The charges also highlighted that the pair had been involved in running an unlicensed pet shop between June 11, 2013, and June 9, 2015. The authorities argued that their actions represented a serious case of animal neglect and illegal trading, prompting prosecutors to call for immediate disqualification from owning or caring for animals. However, magistrates decided to postpone the disqualification proceedings until the sentencing phase.
Historically, Bastin had a long history of legal issues related to animal welfare. In 2004, Essex Trading Standards initiated a landmark case against her under the Sale of Goods Act, a legal move that was unprecedented at the time, aimed at halting her sale of sick animals. Despite this, by 2009, investigations revealed that she was still selling puppies with false pedigree and vaccination certificates, as documented in a BBC Inside Out report. Undercover footage captured her selling a pug and a King Charles cross puppy, which led to further prosecutions by Chelmsford Council.
Following their arrest, both women were released on bail with strict conditions, including a ban on engaging in any form of commercial dog trading or breeding. The sentencing took place in April 2016, with Bastin being sentenced on April 13 and Toye a week later. While specific details of Bastin’s sentence were not widely reported, Clare Toye was ordered to complete 250 hours of unpaid work, pay a victim surcharge of £60, and cover costs amounting to £638. Additionally, Toye was disqualified from owning or keeping a pet shop for ten years and banned from owning or caring for any animals for the same period, which will expire in March 2026.
This case underscores the ongoing efforts by authorities to combat animal cruelty and illegal pet trading in the Wickford area, highlighting the importance of vigilance and enforcement in protecting vulnerable animals from neglect and abuse.
During a coordinated raid conducted by the RSPCA, Essex Police, and Chelmsford Council on June 9, 2015, a total of 42 dogs were seized from the premises. The investigation was prompted by concerns raised about the treatment and living conditions of the animals at Dobe Farm, which had long been suspected of neglect and abuse.
Loretta Bastin, born on April 1, 1951, and residing at Dobe Farm on Meadow Lane, Wickford SS11 7DX, and her daughter Clare Toye, born on April 3, 1973, of 29 Innes Close, Wickford SS12 9DF, faced multiple charges related to their management of the kennels. The pair had previously been featured in a BBC documentary in 2009, which alleged that Bastin was involved in selling sick and dying dogs, raising longstanding concerns about their practices.
In court, Bastin admitted to one count of animal cruelty, one count of operating a pet shop while disqualified, and one count of breeding dogs without a license. Clare Toye pleaded guilty to five counts of animal cruelty and one count of trading as a pet shop without a license. The charges detailed how both women caused unnecessary suffering to the animals by neglecting to prevent pain, injury, and disease. Evidence presented in court indicated that dogs suffering from illness were not properly segregated from healthy animals, further exacerbating their plight.
The charges also highlighted that the pair had been involved in running an unlicensed pet shop between June 11, 2013, and June 9, 2015. The authorities argued that their actions represented a serious case of animal neglect and illegal trading, prompting prosecutors to call for immediate disqualification from owning or caring for animals. However, magistrates decided to postpone the disqualification proceedings until the sentencing phase.
Historically, Bastin had a long history of legal issues related to animal welfare. In 2004, Essex Trading Standards initiated a landmark case against her under the Sale of Goods Act, a legal move that was unprecedented at the time, aimed at halting her sale of sick animals. Despite this, by 2009, investigations revealed that she was still selling puppies with false pedigree and vaccination certificates, as documented in a BBC Inside Out report. Undercover footage captured her selling a pug and a King Charles cross puppy, which led to further prosecutions by Chelmsford Council.
Following their arrest, both women were released on bail with strict conditions, including a ban on engaging in any form of commercial dog trading or breeding. The sentencing took place in April 2016, with Bastin being sentenced on April 13 and Toye a week later. While specific details of Bastin’s sentence were not widely reported, Clare Toye was ordered to complete 250 hours of unpaid work, pay a victim surcharge of £60, and cover costs amounting to £638. Additionally, Toye was disqualified from owning or keeping a pet shop for ten years and banned from owning or caring for any animals for the same period, which will expire in March 2026.
This case underscores the ongoing efforts by authorities to combat animal cruelty and illegal pet trading in the Wickford area, highlighting the importance of vigilance and enforcement in protecting vulnerable animals from neglect and abuse.