SENTENCES TO BE HANDED OUT TO ABSENT EASTERN EUROPEAN PUPPY FARMERS

It’s Operation Wolf, the case against Laura Kiseliova-Tite and Raimondas Titas who faced multiple offences under the Fraud Act, Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, Companies Act 2006 and Animal Welfare Act involving hundreds of dogs and cats. They were found guilty and fled the country before sentencing.

Among the allegations are that they failed to tell buyers that dogs were not bred in the UK, falsely claimed they were Kennel Club registered, tried to restrict consumer rights, failed to protect animals from suffering and false insurance claims relating to a dog which died.

A puppy farmer is defined as a high volume breeder who breeds puppies with little or no regard for the health and welfare of the puppies or their parents. A puppy farmer's main intent is profit.

Puppies bred in these farms can suffer from diseases and acute and chronic conditions and may also develop behavioural difficulties due to the conditions they were exposed to. Puppies and breeding animals kept on puppy farms live in appalling conditions. Dogs are often kept in overcrowded and filthy environments.

Salford City Council’s trading standards team, Bury Council’s trading standards team and the RSPCA jointly raided a house in Prestwich in November 2013. Forty one dogs/puppies and eight cats/kittens were removed from the property and two people arrested and bailed on suspicion of operating as dog breeders and sellers without proper licences.