Richard Tutt, a member or our Regulatory and Disciplinary Team, was instructed by Havant Borough Council to prosecute this case that concerned the sale of two Highland Terrier puppies, in the course of a business, without a licence, contrary to section 1 of the Pet Animals Act 1951. During the course of the investigation the Defendant, Mr Parsons, alleged that he had made payments in cash or in lieu direct to a senior Environmental Health Officer employed by the Council. As a result of these allegations the Council arranged for an independent audit to take place, which concluded that they were unfounded. Mr Parsons pleaded guilty on the day of his trial and was sentenced to a fine of £450, costs of £900 and he was disqualified from keeping a pet shop (‘the carrying on at premises of any nature (including a private dwelling) of a business of selling animals as pets’) for a period of 10 years. Mr Parsons had previously been disqualified from keeping dogs for a period of 20 years for causing animal suffering.

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