A woman kept 33 dogs in such awful conditions that two puppies died. Margaret Davies, a former Forest of Dean resident, appeared at Cheltenham Magistrates' Court today (March 27) for sentencing after pleading guilty to failing to ensure the welfare of dogs in her care and for unnecessary suffering caused to dogs also in her care. The prosecution was brought about by the Forest of Dean District Council’s Street Warden Team, assisted by the Counter Fraud and Enforcement Unit, after receiving information from Naturewatch.org. A warrant was granted for an investigation of Davies' home, revealing distressing conditions for the animals in her care. The investigation revealed dogs living in dark, filthy, and pest-infested condition. Numerous dogs were found in two barns on the land with faeces building up in the pens and some of the dogs had little daylight and limited drinking water, according to GloucestershireLive . A total of 33 dogs were removed from the premises - six were signed over by Davies, while 27 were seized from the property by the council, including two litters of puppies. Two of the puppies from these litters died at a local vets shortly after being collected. The rescued dogs all went on to be fostered by local volunteers and the Forest of Dean Dog Rescue based in the Forest of Dean. The dogs have since been rehomed by the charity and the council. Davies received a 36-week sentence suspended for 18 months and has been ordered to obey a curfew between 7pm and 6am and wear an electronic tag for the next 12 weeks. She was also given a disqualification from keeping dogs indefinitely, while full costs were awarded to the council and the defendant was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £156. Community safety lead at Forest of Dean District Council Damion Collins said: “We must do all we can to prevent animals being subjected to such suffering and I would like to thank everyone involved in investigating this case, and bringing this successful prosecution. No animal should have to suffer. Subscribe here for the latest news where you live “Whoever is looking after an animal has the responsibility to ensure the animal is protected, kept free from pain and nurtured in a safe environment. If you have any welfare concerns for animals that you are aware of, please do not hesitate to contact our street warden team at street.wardens@fdean.gov.uk.” PC McDay of Gloucestershire
police said: “This has been a great example of how our two agencies can work together to address concerns raised about animal welfare. Gloucestershire Constabulary takes this issue seriously and we have a proactive approach to dealing with any crimes against animals. “I would urge anyone with concerns to continue to report them so they can be fully investigated.”