The dogs were extremely thin (Image: RSPCA)
Rebecca Perkins, from Burton Fleming, was sentenced at Scarborough Magistrates Court on Tuesday, June 27, after pleading guilty to three offences under the Animal Welfare Act. The charges were brought against her following an inspection by the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB), the regulatory body for racing.
During an unannounced visit, an expert from the GBGB was left disturbed by the conditions in which the dogs were kept. The stench was so overpowering that it made the inspector feel immediately sick and “disturbed”. The inspector found 37 emaciated greyhounds in dirty, soiled kennels, alongside the bodies of dead animals.
Perkins admitted to causing unnecessary suffering to the greyhounds by failing to provide them with veterinary attention. She also confessed to neglecting the care of three dogs, allowing them to suffer from lameness and sores and keeping 35 dogs in an unhygienic environment. As a result, Perkins has been sentenced to 36 weeks in jail.
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The dogs were extremely thin (Image: RSPCA)
The court heard that Perkins had been licensed to train greyhounds for 17 years and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. She cited a health scare and financial issues as mitigating factors.
In addition to the jail sentence, Perkins has been banned from keeping animals for 10 years and ordered to pay a £187 victim surcharge. She is not permitted to appeal the ban.
The appalling conditions came to light when a stipendiary steward from the GBGB made an unannounced visit. He discovered a black greyhound trapped inside a small portable kennel, struggling to get out.
The dog was in a “disgraceful condition”, “so thin and emaciated” that it “could hardly walk”. In the stables on the farm, the inspector found several underweight greyhounds, as well as the skeleton of a small dog that had been there for some time.
When Perkins returned home, she was asked to open the main kennel block and the smell left the inspector feeling “immediately sick”
The kennels were filled with dogs in shocking conditions “many being extremely thin and emaciated”. Four more dead dogs were discovered at various locations around the farm.
The GBGB contacted the RSPCA, and inspectors Claire Mitchell and Daniel Richardson visited the farm. Inspector Mitchell found a very thin greyhound in the first kennel block, with its ribs, spine, and backbone visible. In another barn, she found three black greyhounds with very thin body conditions and soiled pillows on the floor.
Inspector Mitchell said in a witness statement: “Every single kennel in this kennel block was heavily soiled with faeces and urine, as was all the bedding for the greyhounds.
“The smell in the (main) kennel block was overpowering and almost unbearable.”
The main kennel block contained both live and dead greyhounds, all of them severely underweight. Animal Rescue Officer Daniel Richardson witnessed similar conditions in one of the kennel blocks.
He said: “As we walked down the first row, we noticed nearly all of the pens had greyhounds in, several of which were deceased. There were living dogs in the kennels with the deceased dogs.
“The majority of the dogs were very skinny and several were unable to stand. I noticed the dogs were in very poor body condition, I noticed fur loss and sores on many of the dogs. One in particular had a nasty open wound on its front leg. I noticed several of the kennels containing deceased dogs that were in different stages of decay.”
Perkins signed over all the greyhounds in her care to the RSPCA. Unfortunately, one of the brindle greyhounds collapsed and died before receiving veterinary treatment. Two more had to be euthanised on veterinary advice, and another was euthanised several days later.
An independent vet stated the dogs’ needs had not been met due to the heavily soiled living area. The vet told the court: “I have been shown a number of photographs of the conditions all the dogs were living in and would say that their needs haven’t been met as required by good practice due to the heavily soiled living area.”
On the 37 greyhounds that suffered, the vet added: “In my opinion all 37 dogs were suffering for a minimum of two weeks, but likely several weeks, possibly a couple of months, due to their multiple issues.”
Some of the dogs were given the lowest possible body score of 1/9, indicating severe emaciation. However, the remaining dogs have made a remarkable recovery and gained significant weight. The process of finding them new homes is currently underway.
Mr Richardson expressed his distress over the case, stating a large number of greyhounds had suffered due to a failure to provide them with the urgent veterinary treatment they desperately needed.
He said: “Looking after a large number of greyhounds like this can be very challenging – and clearly they were badly let down on this occasion, to such an extent that a number had to be put to sleep given the severity of the welfare problems.
“Thankfully, once in RSPCA care, the greyhounds that survived have done very well and gained significant weight. The process of rehoming these dogs is underway – offering them each a second chance of forever home happiness.”
Following the ban on keeping animals, Perkins has been given three weeks to make arrangements for her other animals. The RSPCA will be monitoring the situation.
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