PAWN SHOP PUPPY DEALER MARCO TONDO AND NADINE CAMPBELL IN GLASGOW AND ANNAN

Convictions from 2020 reveal that Marco Tondo, born on October 18, 1987, and currently residing at 18 Shawfield Court, Annan, Dumfriesshire DG12 6JB, with connections to the Shettleston area of Glasgow, along with his partner Nadine Campbell, born on December 7, 1988, of 39 Colston Avenue, Bishopbriggs G64 1SL, were involved in selling sick puppies and operating an illegal pet shop.

Images of the accused have been removed at the request of copyright holder Spindrift Photo but are available on linked articles.

In October 2018, Tondo, who has a baby daughter with Campbell, kept several dogs in cramped and inhumane conditions at Campbell’s address in Bishopbriggs. The Scottish SPCA investigated and found the puppies suffering from serious health issues, including worm and flea infestations, parvovirus, and coccidiosis, a parasitic disease. Officers discovered that the puppies originated from suspected puppy dealers.

Five puppies were sold at the illegal pet shop, where eight other young dogs were kept. Tragically, two dogs had to be euthanized, one suffering from organ damage. Other dogs at the premises were underweight and in poor health.

Tondo was set to stand trial at Glasgow Sheriff Court but pleaded guilty to causing "unnecessary suffering" to the puppies. Both he and Campbell admitted to operating a pet shop unlawfully, selling five puppies and keeping eight other young dogs.

During court proceedings, it was revealed that Tondo advertised Jack Russell and Chihuahua puppies on Gumtree. Two buyers visited the property in Bishopbriggs, where Campbell was residing, and Tondo instructed them not to feed the puppies during transit, claiming they would be "sick due to travel." He also claimed one puppy had been wormed but failed to provide the necessary paperwork. It was later confirmed that the puppy had not been wormed or microchipped.

The buyers paid £350 for the puppy, which was already unwell and subsequently vomited in their car. Its condition worsened, leading to a visit to the vet for dehydration. Despite medication, the puppy’s health deteriorated and it died from breathing difficulties.

Police and investigators were unable to contact Tondo afterward, as his phone was out of service.

Further incidents included a veterinary nurse and her daughter purchasing a puppy from Tondo. The vet observed the dog was underweight, lacked typical puppy behaviors, and noticed there was no food, bedding, or blankets available. Tondo claimed the dog had been vaccinated and microchipped, but the dog later became dehydrated and was passing watery fluids. Despite veterinary treatment, the dog did not recover.

A third puppy, bought on October 21, 2018, from an address in Larbert, Stirlingshire, also showed signs of illness—fleeing, collapsing, having a fever, and signs of organ damage—resulting in its death on October 25, 2018.

Another puppy purchased later required veterinary care. It was reported that numerous puppies at Campbell’s address were confined in small cages or kept outside in the garden, and many were underweight.

Despite these findings, neither Tondo nor Campbell received bans on keeping animals, which was a disappointment expressed by the Scottish SPCA. An undercover inspector explained, “Whilst we welcome and respect the court’s judgment, we would have liked to see Tondo given a ban on owning or keeping animals. His disregard for the welfare of numerous dogs led to several puppies becoming unwell and, in two cases, passing away.”

The investigation was prompted by concerns from the public who purchased puppies that later became very ill or died. Authorities found that both defendants were supplied by an unidentified puppy dealer and failed to keep proper sales records.

Evidence gathered from a warrant at Campbell’s home confirmed that the puppies were sold without the proper licensing, originating from suspected puppy dealers motivated by profit and neglecting animal welfare.

The inspector emphasized, “The puppies suffered from serious conditions such as worm and flea infestations, parvovirus, and coccidiosis. Tondo’s failure to seek veterinary care caused further suffering and risked spreading contagious diseases to other dogs in Scotland. This has caused heartbreak for families and financial stress due to veterinary bills.”

He added, “Tondo disregarded basic welfare standards for profit, and this case sends a message that we target both puppy farmers and buyers involved in this barbaric trade. We will continue to pursue anyone involved.”

Sentencing saw Marco Tondo ordered to complete 270 hours of unpaid community service, while Nadine Campbell received a three-month tag order for selling puppies from her home without a license. Neither was banned from keeping animals.

In a related April 2022 update, Marco Tondo was sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to severely assaulting a man in Annan. The attack was driven by the victim’s anger over Tondo’s treatment of dogs. CCTV footage showed Tondo and an accomplice, Danny Davidson, following the victim from a pub before assaulting him in the street, leaving him with over a dozen fractures.

The attack occurred on July 31, 2020, just months after Tondo's previous conviction for selling mistreated puppies. Judge Scott Pattison sentenced Tondo to six years and ordered two years of supervision upon release. Davidson received a sentence of five years and three months.

Tondo’s lawyer, Paul Mullen, said he was “disgusted and ashamed.”