Council issues appeal over pet purchasing after two Carrick people convicted of running an unlicensed breeding establishment
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has appealed to the public to act responsibly when considering the purchase of any pet.
It comes after a Carrickfergus man and woman were convicted of running an unlicensed breeding establishment.
James Tracey (43) and Angelica Evangelista (51), formerly of Broadlands Gardens, Carrickfergus, were sentenced at Laganside Magistrates Court.
Evangelista pleaded guilty to five counts of running a breeding establishment with no licence and Tracey was convicted in his absence.
The charges were brought against both individuals by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council under The Welfare of Animals (Dog Breeding Establishment and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (NI) 2013.
Proceedings followed an investigation by an enforcement officer who visited the address in Broadlands Gardens in June 2022 after a report that puppies were being sold from the premises. A total of 16 unlicensed dogs were present at the property. They included three eight-week-old blue Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppies and four seven-month-old blue Staffordshire Bull Terriers. All the remaining dogs were females.
Enforcement officers, council stated, were able to connect this property to a Facebook page ‘A & J Dream Puppies’ which showed that at least five litters had been advertised and supplied in a year - which is a breach of The Welfare of Animals (Dog Breeding Establishment and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (NI) 2013.
On, July 2, the District Judge sentenced both individuals. Evangelista was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £23 in summons fees and £250 in legal costs. Tracey was fined a total of £1000 for five offences and ordered to pay £23 in summons fees and £250 in legal costs.
Commenting afterwards, a spokesperson for the local government authority said: “Council welcomes these convictions and would take this opportunity to raise public awareness in order to deter and disrupt the illegal breeding and sale of pups.
"We ask members of the public to act responsibly when considering the purchase of any pet as well as how they are looked after.”
The spokesperson added that DAERA (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs) has developed a useful leaflet entitled ‘Buying and caring for a puppy’ which can be downloaded free of charge.