Man avoids jail for selling sick puppies from farm

A man has avoided jail after he duped dog-lovers into buying puppies of unknown origin from his farm, including many with health problems.

Richard Butler, from Springfield Farm in Rugeley, Staffordshire, would source popular breeds of dog from across England and Wales.

He would then advertise them for sale online claiming they were first litters or offspring of family pets, when he actually knew nothing about their pedigree.

The 57-year-old would also falsify documents, including vaccination records, in an effort to mislead customers.

A number of the puppies he sold had congenital defects or serious infections and some ended up having to be put down.

Staffordshire Trading Standards, which prosecuted Butler, said he illegally sold about 500 puppies for about £500 each between October 2015 and May 2018.

He had previously been refused a licence to sell dogs because of conditions on his farm, a spokesperson said.

Butler pleaded guilty to three counts of dishonestly making false representation and one count of making or supplying articles for use in fraud.

He was handed a 21-month prison sentence, which was suspended for two years, and 200 hours of unpaid work during a hearing at Stafford Crown Court on Friday.

Passing sentence on Butler, Judge Kristina Montgomery described him as "greedy, selfish and unsympathetic".

She told him he had caused extreme distress and emotional harm to those who had bought puppies from him.

A future court hearing will be held to discuss any financial penalties that Butler would incur.

Following the hearing, councillor Victoria Wilson, cabinet member for Trading Standards at Staffordshire County Council, said anyone who had suspicions when buying a puppy should contact the authority.

She said the demand for fashionable breeds of puppies was always high and can make a “very lucrative business”.

“Our animal health team work hard to make sure that good animal welfare is upheld. Where this isn’t the case, or fraudulent activity is identified, the service will take the necessary action,” she added.

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