‘UK’s Best’ Dog Breeder Convicted and Banned
A Midlands dog breeder who professed to be the nation's finest and earned over £140,000 from her business has been found guilty of animal welfare crimes. Tracy Hovell, who operated under the name 'Briemdoodles' in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, marketed herself as Britain's top Labradoodle breeder.
Council Investigation Leads to Conviction
The case began when concerns regarding the welfare of her animals were reported to Ashfield District Council. This led to a formal investigation by the council's Environmental Health Officers. In December of last year, Hovell was successfully prosecuted, being convicted of six offences under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018.
Failed Appeal and Final Ruling
Hovell, whose current address is listed as Queen Street in Worksop, initially lodged an appeal against her conviction. However, in a decisive turn of events earlier this month, she failed to appear at her appeal hearing at court. As a result, a High Court judge dismissed her case and ordered her to pay the council £5,000 in court costs.
This ruling solidifies the original sentence. Hovell is now formally banned from owning animals for a period of five years. The prohibition extends to keeping, dealing in, or transporting animals. She is also forbidden from influencing how animals are kept. The court did, however, grant her an exception to keep one dog as a personal pet.
Councillor Matthew Relf, executive lead member for growth, regeneration and local planning, commented on the outcome. He stated, "Hovell’s conviction was down to concerns raised about the welfare of her dogs and the work of Ashfield District Council’s Environmental Health Officers and legal team." He emphasised the importance of animal welfare laws, adding, "As this case demonstrates, when people flout those laws, we will not hesitate to act."
