Shropshire woman jailed for illegal dog breeding

A Shropshire woman has been sent to prison for 22 weeks for running an illegal dog breeding business.

The operation, which had run since 2017, earned her £150,000 and caused dozens of animals to suffer.

Alison Bransby, of White House Farm, Tilstock, Whitchurch, was sentenced at Kidderminsiter Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 6 October after a joint prosecution with the RSPCA.

She was also disqualified from keeping any animals for life and ordered to pay £42,000 costs after pleading guilty to 17 animal welfare offences, including breeding and selling puppies without a licence.

The offences involved 27 dogs, eight puppies, two cats, a horse, a lamb, a terrapin and an African grey parrot.

Her daughter, Kayleigh Bransby, of the same address, was given an 11-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, a ten-year ban on keeping all animals and ordered to pay costs of £20,000 after admitting nine animal welfare offences. 

An investigation began after complaints from members of the public who had bought puppies and dogs from the farm that later became ill.

On 24 February 2021 a warrant was executed at the farm and 35 dogs of various breeds were found to be living in appalling conditions. They were moved to a safe location.

On Monday 3 October, Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court heard how Bransby and her daughter operated an extensive illegal dog breeding operation at their farm and advertised puppies and dogs for sale on various websites.

The animals were housed in wooden sheds, pens and kennels, some barely bigger than a large rabbit hutch.

“Among the large number of dogs found was an emaciated and elderly King Charles Cavalier called Teddy, who is thought to have been used for breeding," said an RSPCA spokesman.

"Curled up in a plastic bed in the corner of a dark kitchen, he was found to be blind and deaf with only one tooth left in his mouth. His fur was stained with urine and he was suffering from severe, untreated ear disease which was so long-standing that both ear canals had effectively collapsed.

"Such was the extent of his neglect that he was put to sleep on veterinary advice to prevent further suffering.”