A FATHER and son have been banned from keeping animals for 10 years after dogs at the farm where they sold puppies suffered “widespread and indiscriminate neglect”.
Samuel Ronald Hessin, 48, and his son Samuel Arthur Hessin, 22, both pled guilty to charges related to the treatment of animals at their farm at Balnamoon, near Keith, Moray.
Inspectors from the Scottish SPCA (SSPCA) removed 60 dogs from the premises to ensure their welfare and prevent future suffering or disease.
They were contacted after witnesses who went to the Hessin farmhouse in September 2019 to look at a puppy which had been advertised on Gumtree described the creature as “filthy and smelt filthy”.
They were so concerned that when they left the farm they contacted the SSPCA, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said.
SSPCA inspectors, trading standards officers and Police Scotland jointly searched the farm, finding dogs and puppies “within the house, outbuildings and roaming free across the property”.
The Crown Office said that “it was clear from the initial search that the property was being used as an unlicensed breeding operation.”
Conditions were described as “unhygienic” with a number of dogs and puppies suffering from diseases such as skin conditions and eye infections.
The floors of the outbuildings where the animals were housed had wet shavings or straw on the ground and were covered in faeces – with a “strong stench” said to be present in some areas due to a lack of ventilation.
Many of the adult dogs were kept in small crates, filled with faecal matter and straw, with little room to move, the Crown Office added.
Moray Trading Standards seized phones and paperwork during the search which showed that between December 3 2018 and September 19 2019 Samuel Arthur Hessin had placed multiple adverts on Gumtree and Freeads under various email addresses and contact names.
He used 18 different names and mobile numbers, 11 email addresses and three separate locations so buyers would think they were buying family pets when the authorities said they were “actually buying puppies, many imported from Northern Ireland, from a puppy farm”.
Three puppies, named Tiree, Calla and Danna were suffering from chronic skin conditions, with Danna also requiring surgery for an eye condition. Another dog, Scarba, was suffering from fractured teeth, an infected neck laceration and an ear mite infestation.
The Hessins formally relinquished ownership of all but four of the dogs to the SSPCA in October 2019.
When they appeared at Elgin Sheriff Court in June this year, Samuel Ronald Hessin pled guilty to running an unlicensed pet shop which put up for sale more than 100 dogs and for failing to provide a suitable environment for the dogs and puppies.
Samuel Arthur Hessin pled guilty to an offence involving misleading commercial practices and causing unnecessary suffering by failing to provide adequate care and treatment and obtain veterinary advice.
When they appeared in court for sentencing this week both men were given a Community Payback Order requiring them to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work and placing them under supervision for 18 months.
They were also banned from keeping animals for 10 years.
Speaking afterwards, Andy Shanks, procurator fiscal for Grampian, Highland and Islands, said: “This was a case of widespread and indiscriminate neglect where dogs and puppies were caused suffering and pain by Samuel Ronald Hessin and Samuel Arthur Hessin.
“I would like to thank the Scottish SPCA, Moray Trading Standards and Police Scotland for their part in investigating and gathering evidence of these offences.
“We expect the highest standards of commercial dog breeders and are committed to working with enforcing authorities to ensure that those who do not meet these standards are held to account.”
