Facebook Twitter Instagram
    • FREE Email Newsletters
    • About Us
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Free Magazine Subscriptions
    Twitter Facebook
    Pet Business World
    • Trade News
      • Distributors
      • International
      • Legislation
      • Manufacturers
      • Other trades
      • Retailers
    • New Products
      • Birds
      • Cats
      • Dogs
      • Small Animals
    • Features
      • Industry Experts
      • Retailer profiles
    • Aquatics
    • Columnists
      • Newshound
      • Reptile Trade Views
    • People
    • Magazines
      1. June 2022
      2. May 2022
      3. April 2022
      4. March 2022
      5. February 2022
      6. January 2022
      Featured

      PBW News – June 2022

      By David ReesJune 15, 2022
      Recent

      PBW News – June 2022

      June 15, 2022

      PBW News – May 2022

      May 5, 2022

      PBW News – April 2022

      April 5, 2022
    • Classifieds
    • Trade Directory
    Pet Business World
    Other trades

    Puppy farmers’ jailed

    Michele SwalesBy Michele SwalesJune 28, 20193 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email

    Michael Rushmer (27), of Low Road, Thurlton, appeared at Norwich Crown Court on Tuesday June 25) for sentencing after previously pleading guilty to two offences of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation.

    Jacob Murphy (27) and Zoe Rushmer (26), both of The Street, Norton Subcourse; and Jean Boyes (67), of The Street, Bramerton, also appeared in court for sentencing, having all admitted one offence of conspiracy to commit fraud.

    The RSPCA launched an investigation into puppy-selling in Norfolk and Suffolk after a series of calls from members of the public who had bought puppies that had soon fallen ill and, in some cases, died. The animal charity was made aware of more than 60 victims.

    Officers made a number of visits to a farm in Norfolk during late 2016 and early 2017 and gave advice but, when the scale of the problem became apparent, the charity approached Norfolk Police for assistance and a warrant was executed at the property, in Low Road, Thurlton, in August 2017.

    PROFIT

    Lead investigator RSPCA Inspector Amy Pellegrini described the farm as a ‘puppy factory’. “Our investigations suggested that multiple litters of puppies were being bred and then advertised for sale,” she said. “Other litters appear to have been purchased and sold on at profit. The way the adverts were worded suggested to prospective purchasers that these were litters of home-bred puppies in good health and were well-socialised.

    “The reality, sadly, was far from it and the sellers were running a commercial, unlicensed puppy farm on an industrial scale. Unfortunately, many buyers ended up with very sick puppies.”

    A total of 74 dogs and puppies were removed under the warrant and taken into RSPCA care. Several of the pregnant bitches went on to have a further 20 puppies but one soon died, leaving a total of 93 dogs. The dogs – a mixture of breeds including cockapoos, labradoodles, Yorkies, Chihuahuas, shih tzus, schnauzers and Chinese cresteds – remain in RSPCA care.

    UNSUSPECTING

    Amy added: “Not only was the welfare of these dogs seriously compromised, but many unsuspecting members of the public were also caught up in this operation, conned and left heartbroken or paying off large vet bills.

    “Families thought they were buying puppies who had been bred and reared in loving family homes but in reality they had been bred in disgusting conditions with little regard for their health or welfare but simply how much money they would bring in.”

    This week, two members of the gang were jailed while a third was given a suspended sentence.

    Michael Rushmer, Zoe Rushmer and Jacob Murphy were all disqualified from keeping dogs for life; Michael and Murphy were sentenced to 3.5 years in prison; and Zoe Rushmer was given a two-year prison term, suspended for two years. She was also ordered to complete 250 hours of unpaid work.

    Jean Boyes was given a two-year conditional discharge.

     

     

    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
    Previous ArticlePet retailer gains award for people focus
    Next Article Win a taste of Yorkshire hospitality
    Michele Swales

    Read Similar Stories

    Other trades

    Vet charity warns of rise in imported pets

    June 30, 2022
    Other trades

    Pets & Friends opens grooming academy

    June 28, 2022
    Other trades

    New insight into hamster lifespans

    June 23, 2022
    Most Read

    Rosewood sells majority stake to Dayes

    July 4, 2022

    New firms book space at PATS Telford

    July 4, 2022

    Nylabone launches extreme chew

    July 4, 2022
    © 2022 Lewis Business Media. All Rights Reserved.
    Lewis Business Media, Suite A, Arun House, Office Village, River Way, Uckfield, TN22 1SL

    Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions

    • OvertheCounter
    • Pest Magazine

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “ACCEPT ALL”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
    Cookie SettingsREJECT ALLAccept All
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    AWSALBCORS7 daysThis cookie is managed by Amazon Web Services and is used for load balancing.
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Necessary" category .
    PHPSESSIDsessionThis cookie is native to PHP applications. The cookie is used to store and identify a users' unique session ID for the purpose of managing user session on the website. The cookie is a session cookies and is deleted when all the browser windows are closed.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    CookieDurationDescription
    AWSALB7 daysAWSALB is a cookie generated by the Application load balancer in the Amazon Web Services. It works slightly different from AWSELB.
    explat_test_aa_weekly_lohp_2021_week_4517 days 8 hoursNo description
    ppwp_wp_session30 minutesNo description
    tk_ai14 daysGathers information for WordPress by themselves, first party analytics tool about how WP services are used. A collection of internal metrics for user activity, used to improve user experience.
    tk_qssessionGathers information for WordPress by themselves, first party analytics tool about how WP services are used. A collection of internal metrics for user activity, used to improve user experience.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    CookieDurationDescription
    OAGEOsessionOpenX sets this cookie to avoid the repeated display of the same ad.
    OAID1 yearThis cookie is set when an AdsWizz website visitor have opted out the collection of information by AdsWizz service or opted to disable the targeted ads by AdsWizz.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    CookieDurationDescription
    _ga2 yearsThe _ga cookie, installed by Google Analytics, calculates visitor, session and campaign data and also keeps track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognize unique visitors.
    _gat_gtag_UA_31822138_71 minuteSet by Google to distinguish users.
    _gid1 dayInstalled by Google Analytics, _gid cookie stores information on how visitors use a website, while also creating an analytics report of the website's performance. Some of the data that are collected include the number of visitors, their source, and the pages they visit anonymously.
    tk_lr1 yearThe tk_lr is a referral cookie set by the JetPack plugin on sites using WooCommerce, which analyzes referrer behaviour for Jetpack.
    tk_or5 yearsThe tk_or is a referral cookie set by the JetPack plugin on sites using WooCommerce, which analyzes referrer behaviour for Jetpack.
    tk_r3d3 daysJetPack installs this cookie to collect internal metrics for user activity and in turn improve user experience.
    SAVE & ACCEPT
    Powered by CookieYes Logo