CAMPAIGNERS have labelled the sentence handed out to an illegal dog breeder found guilty of causing suffering to 21 dogs as “a total disgrace”.

Richard Samuel Morgan Jones, 31, of Moelfre, Llanwnnen, was sentenced to nine weeks in prison last week, suspended for 18 months, and banned from keeping dogs for four years after earlier being found guilty of breeding dogs without a licence and causing unnecessary suffering to 21 dogs in his care.

Speaking to the Cambrian News this week, Ronnie Lambert of Puppy Love Campaigns, an anti-puppy farm campaign group, heaped scorn on the sentence handed down to Jones.

“It is a very weak sentence and it wouldn’t deter any puppy farmers in Wales from doing the same,” said Mrs Lambert. “I cannot believe it. It’s absolutely shocking.”

Mrs Lambert also said the group was “deeply disappointed” that the council had waited until 2016 to take action against Jones after the group “repeatedly raised concerns” with the council regarding Jones’ dog breeding business as far back as 2011.

“Whilst we are pleased he was prosecuted, we’re deeply disappointed that it took so long considering that we first reported the barn to Ceredigion County Council in 2011 and repeatedly raised our concerns until action was finally taken in June 2016,” she said.

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