MANDY ALLINSON

A couple faced legal penalties after authorities found they had kept dogs and cats under disgusting and terrible conditions at a farm near Whitby.

The court was told that Mandy Allinson, aged 52, and Michael Connolly, aged 56, had kept their animals inside a dark, dirty barn that was described as filthy.

They received a sentence of ten weeks in prison, suspended for a year, and a ban from owning cats for a period of seven years.

The animals, which included puppies bred at Fotherley Farm in Grosmont, North Yorkshire, were living in conditions where they were surrounded by their own waste, which contributed to the charges.

RSPCA inspectors found the conditions to be horrendous after receiving a tip-off from people who reported finding fleas and worms in puppies bought from the farm.

One dog, a cocker spaniel named Dexter, was so severely matted that he resembled 'a big ball of fur,' and required anaesthesia and removal of 1.4 kilograms of fur from his body.

It was explained that the poor health conditions of the owners, including issues such as diabetes and depression, played a role in how the animals were kept.

All animals except their two pet dogs were seized for rehoming.

Both individuals admitted to violating the Animal Welfare Act 2006 on three counts, involving two pet dogs and additional animals, including 18 dogs and three cats, which lacked suitable living conditions.

District Judge Adrian Lower commented that the animals had been kept with 'wholly inappropriate bedding' made from their own feces, due to an absence of proper bedding.

The court heard that Connolly prioritized caring for Allinson, who was suffering from depression, over the animals.

During the inspection, Connolly expressed to the RSPCA that he felt he had 'had enough' and was unable to continue caring for the animals.