More than 450 neglected animals have been rescued from a farm in Nottinghamshire, with several having to be put to sleep to end their suffering.
Farm owner Lee Hayes has been handed a 12-month suspended prison sentence and a lifetime animal ban after 19 different species of animals were rescued, which included around 70 horses and donkeys, more than 50 dogs and 170 guinea pigs.
None of the animals had received veterinary care, with many suffering from parasites, rotting feet, diseases and left in enclosures covered in faeces, urine and maggots.
The case was uncovered after the founder of a missing dogs charity visited the farm in 2023 to investigate claims about a stolen dog and raised concerns about the conditions of the animals.
A Nottinghamshire Police officer was overcome by a foul smell when entering a barn and found “many dogs who were whining”.
The RSPCA were able to secure a warrant, and made a number of “harrowing” discoveries, which included an elderly German Shepherd struggling to walk, a cocker spaniel which needed hernia surgery, and puppies caked in faeces with urine scolds.
Seven donkeys had chronic hoof issues while a number were underweight and had not received dental care, and half of the 59 equines seized were of poor body condition. One donkey was so lame she was put to sleep, while several were pregnant and living in squalid conditions in dirty darkened barns.
Five dogs were tied to outdoor kennels while 40 lived in a crowded barn, while three cats had been locked in a filthy stable and five kittens with cat flu were found in a pick-up truck.
Vet Olivia Speight stated: “The environment the dogs were in did not have much natural light and the smell of ammonia was strong. There wasn’t proper bedding in the kennels and there was a high level of contamination by faeces and urine.
“This property was not listed as a registered breeding establishment, but its set-up was more similar to one than a pet home.”
Hayes had also kept underweight birds and ducklings, ferrets and rabbits kept in maggot-strewn cages, as well as mice, pigmy squirrels and hamsters living in overcrowded cages.
A Congo grey parrot was so stressed it had pulled out half its feathers, while one hamster had to be put to sleep immediately.
There were also emaciated cows, underweight birds and hens kept without water, and underweight tortoises kept in a vivarium infested with fruit flies. Of the 107 birds that were being kept on the farm, only 12 had access to clean water, with one hutch containing a pile of dead birds.
Speaking in his defence, John Hayes said for Hayes: “Over a period of time he became overwhelmed by the situation he found himself in, he has not acted maliciously. All the animals he acquired came from people that knew he would take them on.
“He did not have the ability to say ‘no’. He should have accepted help as he did realise a number of animals the RSPCA rescue needed treatment.”
Hayes’ girlfriend Tammy Heath was also handed a 13-week suspended prison sentence and banned from keeping canines after pleading guilty to animal welfare offences, relating to two dogs.
The district judge told Hayes: “When the RSPCA and police came they found no improvements. All the animals were still living in abhorrent conditions and severely neglected, which included unsanitary, overcrowded accommodation; dogs living in faeces and urine; goats with overgrown hooves, equines with thrush; and cats with fleas and flu.
“A lot of this could easily have been prevented, but you wantonly neglected hundreds of animals of a wide range of species. You lack insight in the care of animals and you present a high risk of offending again as far as the welfare of animals is concerned”
RSPCA Inspector Baker, who led the operation, said: “The conditions we found all these animals living in were absolutely appalling. The smell of manure hit as soon as you walked through the gate and the sheer volume of animals in dire circumstances was quite overwhelming.
“There was a very lame cow tied up in one of the barns that was the most broken animal I had ever seen. There was also a lamb I will never forget, her leg was swinging and the smell of infection from her was the worst thing ever – she’d been attacked by a dog some days before and just left suffering with multiple fractures.
“There were few signs any kind of animal husbandry had taken place. Many of the dogs for example were suffering from easily treatable conditions and the lack of veterinary care demonstrated the total disregard the defendant took to the animals’ welfare.
“Keeping large numbers of animals like this at one location is never a good idea as the resources required to give them a good life are unlikely to be found. The defendant also allowed the number of animals to grow, as for example mares were mixing with stallions and bitches were paired up with dogs.
“We are grateful for the tip-off that highlighted how badly conditions had deteriorated, which meant alongside Nottinghamshire Police we were able to organise a rescue of over 450 animals with the assistance of our charity partners.
“We split up into teams over two days to deal with different species and all the animals were systematically health checked and then taken to safe accommodation, where many were treated for their ailments and have since made a good recovery.”
