Anger over puppy trafficker's fine

John Walsh was fined £500

Animal welfare groups have expressed anger after a man caught trafficking puppies in appalling conditions on a ferry between Ireland and Scotland was fined just £500.

John Walsh had 49 pups and three kittens in the back of his car when he was stopped by police at Cairnryan in Galloway in July.

Many of them were found to be covered in their own urine and faeces, while others had lice.

Nine of the pups were in such a poor condition that they had to be given emergency treatment by vets.

At Stranraer Sheriff Court, Walsh, from Brampton in Cumbria, pled guilty to causing them unnecessary suffering by denying them adequate space, ventilation and water.

The court was shown a video of the animals taken by inspectors for the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Fining Walsh, Sheriff Brian Adair said he accepted that it had been an error of judgement.

Given the high temperatures we experienced during the summer, it is a miracle that none of these animals died Doreen Graham SSPCA

Walsh was also ordered to pay compensation of nearly £2,900 in cost to the SSPCA which took the animals into care.

Doreen Graham, spokeswoman for the SSPCA, said the fine was disappointing.

"The £500 is the resale price of just two puppies. The potential for misery for these animals was unbelievably high.

"Given the high temperatures we experienced during the summer, it is a miracle that none of these animals died.

"We are seeing a large number of puppies coming into Scotland from puppy farms in southern Ireland and it is big business.

"Sadly many of them have behavioural problems and carry skin diseases and other viruses because of the poor treatment they have received," said Ms Graham.

She added that the SSPCA is currently working with Christine Grahame MSP to draw up bill to impose tighter controls on the sale of puppies imported from Ireland.

"Our message to buyers is to ignore the sellers and to instead buy from a reputable breeder or go to an animal welfare centre and re-home one of the thousands of dogs and that are abandoned every year," said Ms Graham.