1 Nov 2022
A man and woman have been barred from keeping dogs for five years after an RSPCA investigation was brought to court.
Allister Webb
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Nylah, who the couple had denied ownership of.
An Essex man has been given a suspended jail term for his involvement in the cropping of several dogs’ ears.
Rory Canny, 30, was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, by Colchester magistrates on Friday 28 October.
He was previously convicted of causing the prohibited procedure to be carried out on four American bulldog-type dogs, and was further ordered to pay £722 in costs and a victim surcharge.
His co-accused, Sophie Louise Snell, 30, was given a six-month curfew, and told to pay £690 in costs and surcharges, after being convicted of permitting the procedure or failing to prevent it.
Both defendants, of St Osyth Road East, Little Clacton, were also banned from keeping dogs for five years.
An investigation was launched after the RSPCA received reports that the procedure, which is illegal in the UK under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, was being carried out.
Several dogs with cropped ears were found during a search of a property in Clacton, which was carried out under a warrant.
Pictures and videos of four dogs, who were originally seen with full ears before being captured in a cropped state later, were also discovered on social media platforms associated with a kennels known as BullyLairUK.
Canny and Snell initially claimed one of the dogs, named Bjorn, had come to them at four months old from Bulgaria, before later admitting breeding him.
However, they insisted that a friend overseas, whom they had sold him to, had arranged the cropping.
They also denied breeding a second dog, called Tiger Lily, claiming she had come from another kennels, and ownership of a third, named Nylah.
Canny also claimed that the fourth dog in the case, named Saber Tooth, had come from Bulgaria, and was a different dog from one with similar markings and cropped ears that he was seen holding in a video.
The couple told the court they had since rehomed all of the dogs.
Following the sentencing hearing, RSPCA inspector Caroline Richardson said: “Ear cropping is a horrific practice, which has absolutely no benefits for the dogs, and can cause them lifelong health, behavioural and social problems.
“This is done purely for cosmetic purposes and sadly can lead to puppies being sold for much more money.
“We’d urge the public and anyone looking to buy a puppy to remember that this is an illegal procedure, which has hugely negative impacts for the dogs themselves.”
