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A 73-year-old woman who ran a puppy farm in Sleap has been banned from dealing with dogs for 10 years after a court heard how a number of the dogs were left with untreated injuries – resulting in one of them being put to sleep.

Marcia Hollins-Jones pleaded guilty to four animal welfare offences of causing unnecessary suffering to dogs when she appeared before Telford Magistrate’s on Monday, January 21.

Inspector Kate Parker, who investigated this case, says action came after a number of complaints.

She said: “These were passed to the local authority who had licensed her and had the legal right to enter the premises.

“But when the vet raised concerns about unnecessary suffering to these four dogs I was able to go to the premises and that is when I saw the poor conditions these dogs were kept in.

“The puppies in what Hollins-Jones described to me as 'the maternity wing' were particularly at risk in such a cold and damp environment with no heat lamps as required by law.

“There was a prolific failure by her towards animal welfare. She was breeding the dogs for money and that was her key motivation – she has also shown no remorse for her actions.

The court was told how she ran her puppy selling business from the Old Crematorium at Sleap where she lived in a static caravan and had a license from the local authority to breed dogs.

An RSPCA visit found 38 adult dogs and 35 puppies which were kept in cold and damp conditions in concrete kennels with urine-soaked carpet on the floor.

The visit came after concerns were raised by Hollins-Jones’ own vet who believed some of the animals with injuries sustained during fights had been left to suffer for days before she sought veterinary treatment.

The first dog presented to the vet in August 2017 was Dexter, a chocolate miniature dachshund type dog.

He had severe bite wounds on his body, including his anus, after fighting with another dog kept in the premises but he was treated and made a recovery.

Then in November, another dog, called Pippa, was taken in for treatment with a severe injury on her leg which left her bone exposed, which she had treated with calpol.

But the Jack Russell Terrier-cross was found to be suffering so much the vet decided the kindest option was to put her to sleep.

Inspector Parker added: "In the sad case of Pippa, she was left for at least two days without veterinary treatment instead Hollins Jones decided to give her Calpol.

"She would have clearly suffered from such an awful injury.”

Hollins-Jones also admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a male chocolate miniature dachshund dog called Fat Pud’s Pu just a few months later between February 14 and 28, 2018. He had a severe bite mark to his eye but fortunately has recovered from his injuries.

The fourth offence took place between May 13 and 15, 2018 after Dexter was presented to the vet again with similar injuries which had not been treated immediately.

The court was also told Hollins-Jones, who has been banned from owning animals for three years but suspended while she re-homes her animals, has been prosecuted in the past by the RSPCA.

She was ordered to pay £3,040 overall.