Bassetlaw animal business owners end up in court for allowing 'aggressive' dogs to escape

The case relates to the pare keeping dogs on the site which they constantly allowed to escape, sometimes acting aggressively towards member of the public.

On May 4, Nottingham Magistrates’ Court ordered Adrian Collins and Patricia Baker, owners of Sunnyside Cattery, in Lound, to attend 10 days of Rehabilitation Activity to address multiple breaches of their CBO. In addition, they must pay costs of £1,328 each to Bassetlaw District Council, as well as a £95 victim surcharge.

This is the third time Collins and Baker have been convicted of breaching the conditions of the CBO between March 2022 and February 2023. The Order was amended by the court and now states that they must not:

• Keep more than six dogs at the Sunnyside Cattery;
• Allow the escape of any dog from within Sunnyside Cattery, this applies to dog(s) owned by them or placed in their care;
• Fail to keep any dog(s) in their care, on a lead. This applies when the dog(s) are in any public place or on any public right of way. This applies at all times;
• Exercise/walk more than three dogs, at any time, in any public space and on any public right of way;
• When walking/exercising dogs use a lead, which is more than 1.5 meters in length for each of the dogs.

And must:

• Admit any authorised officer or employee of Bassetlaw District Council to the property upon the receipt of no less than 24 hours’ notice
• Notify the Council of the birth of any litter of puppies from a dog in their care within 48 hours of the birth.
• Rehome or rehouse these puppies in no less than three months unless the retention of them will not exceed six dogs at the property

The Criminal Behaviour order was served in January 2022 and will remain in place until January 28, 2025. Prior to this, they were served with a Community Protection Notice in March 2020.

Repeated breaches of this Order took place between March 2022 and February 2023 including allowing dogs to escape on at least 18 occasions. A number of these escapes involved a Belgian Malinois dog that acted aggressively, according to witnesses.

On another occasion, two police officers attended the cattery in response to reports that dogs were acting aggressively. During this visit they also found nine dogs at the property, a further breach to the Criminal Behaviour Order.

Speaking about the case, Councillor Darrell Pulk, Cabinet Member for Environment and Energy at Bassetlaw District Council said: “Whilst the vast majority of pet owners are responsible and caring, on occasions this is not the case and appropriate action needs to be taken to ensure the welfare and control of animals and to protect the public.

“Bassetlaw District Council officers worked alongside Nottinghamshire Police to identify breaches to a Criminal Behaviour Order and in so doing have sent a clear message - animal welfare and public safety are serious matters.”