Essex woman kept 10 dogs in poor conditions despite animal ban
Deborah Fuller has been sentenced after an RSPCA investigation
Last updated 23rd Jun 2021
A woman from Essex, who kept ten dogs in poor conditions, despite an animal ban, has been given a suspended sentence.
Deborah Fuller was caught after a shop she went to gathered CCTV and photos of her with dogs in her car.
The 62-year-old from Harwich Road in Lawford has to pay over £5,000 in fines and costs and is also banned from keeping animals for another three years.
What did she do?
Deborah Fuller was found to have breached a four-year ban on keeping animals.
Police, accompanied by RSPCA officers, executed a warrant on 10 June 2019 to search for evidence that Fuller was breaching her disqualification order.
There they found her keeping ten Rhodesian Ridgebacks.
Fuller was also convicted of one offence of causing unnecessary suffering by not getting vet treatment for a dog called Wizard who was struggling to walk with a deformity of the lower right foreleg which was swollen.
He also had a large mass causing him pain. He was later put to sleep on veterinary advice due to having a bone tumour.
Fuller was also found in possession of a further Rhodesian Ridgeback called Sidney on 6 November 2019 when police intercepted her leaving a veterinary practice.
During a recent court hearing District Judge King sentenced her to a three-month curfew to be monitored electronically and a 20-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement.
She was also fined a total of £490 and ordered to pay £5,000 costs.
She was further disqualified from keeping all animals for three years.
A second defendant, Keith Barton, (DOB 03/03/1960) of Santon Downham, Suffolk was found guilty of aiding, abetting and counseling or procuring Deborah Fuller to breach her disqualification order.
He was sentenced on Monday 22 March to an 18-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £625 costs.
A further hearing relating to ownership of animals concluded on Tuesday 15 June meaning that the RSPCA can now find the dogs new homes.
After the final hearing RSPCA Inspector Caroline Richardson commented:
"It was heartbreaking to see Wizard struggling to walk.
"I'm pleased we can now find loving new homes for the dogs which we have been in our care for more than a year".