Case Details
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Case ID: 6453
Classification: Neglect / Abandonment
Animal: cat, dog (non pit-bull), bird (pet), dog (pit-bull), reptile, rodent/small mammal (pet), rabbit (pet)
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CONVICTED: Was justice served?

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Case #6453 Rating: 5.0 out of 5



Pet store owner charged with cruelty
Romford, EN (UK)

Incident Date: Wednesday, Sep 29, 2004

Disposition: Convicted
Case Images: 2 files available

Defendant/Suspect: Doreen Pemberton

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

Former pet shop owner Doreen Pemberton has been found guilty of 31 charges relating to animal cruelty - but was spared jail on December 7, 2005.
The 68-year-old had denied but was convicted of eight counts of causing unnecessary suffering to animals and 23 counts of unnecessarily exposing a dog to risk of illness or infection. She was also banned from keeping animals for five years, including her own six dogs which will now be re-homed along with the other pets seized from The Family Pet Shop, in North Street, Romford, on September 29, 2004.

During that raid police and RSPCA officers found dead pets, including puppies and kittens, in a freezer. Pemberton, from Hackney, was given a four month suspended custodial sentence to run concurrently for all offences following the 13-day trial at Havering Magistrates' Court. District Judge, Alan Williams, said there was an "abundance of evidence" that animals had suffered and ruled that Pemberton had done "little to prevent what the law describes as cruelty".

Despite welcoming the result the RSPCA, who brought the conviction, were hit with a bill of �117,000 in kennel and court costs, as Pemberton only has her pension, while The Family Pet Shop Ltd has gone into liquidation and cannot cover the amount. Pemberton, who has run pet shops since 1974, wept as she was told by the judge that a custodial sentence was "inevitable", but she let out a sigh of relief when she was told the sentence would be suspended for two years. Tears started again when she was told she would be banned from keeping animals for five years. And although The Family Pet Shop Ltd was said to be in liquidation, the judge still ruled that it should pay costs of �100,000 and be fined �10,000 if it is found there is money available.

Judge Williams said he wished Pemberton had been able to pay, so as to spare the RSPCA such costs. He said: "I wish I could make an order for that sum of money against you, the pet shop or your family, but I can't." He added: "Mrs Pemberton I find these offences for which you have been convicted to be very serious indeed. In short, innocent animals suffered due to recklessness and negligence on your part." The sentence was suspended, the judge said, because of Pemberton's age and health and that she was "carrying the can" for others, including members of her family, such as her son Dean Hood who escaped prosecution.

Throughout the trial the court was told that the pet shop was "rife with diseases" such as Parvo Virus - a highly contagious and fatal illness for dogs. A Golden Retriever called Sam was bought from the shop on July 20, 2004, but died a few days later showing "all the clinical signs" of Parvo Virus.
A month later, a Bichon Frise called Oscar was bought from the shop, but once again died from the virus. Judge Williams slammed the cleanliness in the shop and referred to evidence that sick pets brought back by owners were placed in cages with other puppies. The most emotive part of the case, according to the judge, was when officers found dead animals wrapped in plastic bags in a freezer. A Staffordshire Bull terrier pulled from the freezer had maggots all over its body and a leading vet said it had been left dead for five days before being frozen. Pemberton herself admitted seeing the dog being thrown into her yard after it had died. She also admitted that some puppies had been kept in the freezer a year after dying.
Six puppies pulled from the freezer were found to have Parvo Virus and the judge called it "unacceptable" that pet food had been left beside the dead bodies.

The Family Pet Shop had been taken over by Pemberton and her son Dean Hood in 1997. Complaints about the shop dated back to 2001 and it was found they had breached parts of their licence issued by Havering Council. During the raid, expert vet Martin Lawton, described the pet shop as looking like a "large pharmacy" as a number of prescription drugs were found on the premises, including some imported from Europe and the Middle East. It appeared drugs were also being sold from the premises. The defence argued that animals were susceptible to a number of airborne diseases and that the deaths were not due to failure of the defendant.
Pemberton also passionately denied the prosecution's claims and at one point said: "My animals are looked after very well. My shop is never dirty, it is always clean, as are my puppies."

But Judge Williams delivered a damning verdict: "No proper steps were taken that should have been taken to avoid exposure to diseases. Cleanliness was not a priority - it ought to have been. These animals were not receiving veterinary treatment that they should have been and therefore unnecessarily suffered." The judge paid tribute to PC Sarah Nuttall the officer in charge of the case. Speaking after the verdict, she said: "This is not seen as a victory, but as justice for the puppies who suffered at the hands of that woman."

RSPCA Chief Inspector, Mike Butcher, said: "I hope this is a lesson for other pet shops that they will be prosecuted if their standards decline." Nigel Weller, defending, said Pemberton would appeal.


Case Updates

The Family Pet Shop in North Street, Romford, now goes by the name of Pet Shop Girls (Presumably based on Pet Shop Boys) and has apparently changed hands.
Source: EAARC - December 2005
Update posted on Dec 9, 2005 - 9:54PM 

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