At its meeting on 29 April 2021, The Kennel Club Disciplinary Committee carefully considered the convictions of Mr Andrew Bateman of Lampeter for offences relating to fraud and failure to meet the duty of a person responsible for an animal to ensure welfare from the Gloucester Crown Court on 11 December 2020.
The Committee impose the following penalties:
The suspensions and disqualifications are to be for life from 29 April 2021.
The Committee noted that Mr Bateman was in tri-partite arrangement with Mr J P Awdry and Miss K M Busby.
The charges related to fraud in the misrepresentation to puppy buyers of their credentials as licensed breeders and that the puppies were in good health and well looked after; and failing to meet the welfare needs of the animals in their care.
The Court’s view was that this was a ‘contrived exercise in cruelty and neglect and hallmarked by greed’. The conditions in which the dogs were kept were appalling.
The Court imposed a custodial (suspended) sentence and a disqualification from keeping animals for an indefinite period.
The Committee had no hesitation in imposing a disqualification for life from Kennel Club regulated activities.
As with previous cases involving offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 it is worth expressly stating that any breeder must ensure that the needs of an animal must be met to the extent required by good practice under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 including;
The Committee impose the following penalties:
- To disqualify him from exhibiting at, taking part in, attending and/or having any connection with any event licensed by the Club. If any person disqualified under this sub-paragraph shall attend any canine event whilst disqualified the Board shall have the power to increase the period of disqualification [A11 j (4)]
- To disqualify him from being or becoming a member of any canine club or society registered with or affiliated to The Kennel Club [A11 j (5)]
- To disqualify him from acting as an Officer or serving on the Committee of any canine society [A11 j (6)]
- To disqualify him from taking part in the management of any event licensed by the Club [A11 j (7)]
- To disqualify him from judging at any event licensed by the Club [A11 j (8)]
- To disqualify him from effecting registrations of any or all dogs and/or progeny of such dogs which are owned and/or registered by him (whether or not jointly owned and/or whether or not owned and/or registered in the name of a nominee) [A11 j (9)]
The suspensions and disqualifications are to be for life from 29 April 2021.
The Committee noted that Mr Bateman was in tri-partite arrangement with Mr J P Awdry and Miss K M Busby.
The charges related to fraud in the misrepresentation to puppy buyers of their credentials as licensed breeders and that the puppies were in good health and well looked after; and failing to meet the welfare needs of the animals in their care.
The Court’s view was that this was a ‘contrived exercise in cruelty and neglect and hallmarked by greed’. The conditions in which the dogs were kept were appalling.
The Court imposed a custodial (suspended) sentence and a disqualification from keeping animals for an indefinite period.
The Committee had no hesitation in imposing a disqualification for life from Kennel Club regulated activities.
As with previous cases involving offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 it is worth expressly stating that any breeder must ensure that the needs of an animal must be met to the extent required by good practice under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 including;
- a. its need for a suitable environment,
- b. its need for a suitable diet,
- c. its need to be able to exhibit normal behaviour patterns,
- d. any need it has to be housed with, or apart from, other animals, and
- e. its need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.