Kent Puppy Farmers Ordered to Repay £200,000 for Selling Sick Dogs

Three people from Meopham faced court orders this week after running a puppy-selling operation. They were told to return significant sums following an RSPCA investigation.

Confiscation order and repayment totals

On April 14 at Woolwich Crown Court, confiscation proceedings concluded. The judge ordered repayments linked to profits from the operation.

Wally Beaney, 41, was required to pay £119,449 available to him. Louise Smith, 65, must pay £50,970. Maria Smith, 37, was ordered to pay £26,500. The court found an overall benefit of about £630,000 from the scheme.

The outcome means Kent puppy farmers must repay about £200,000 after selling sick dogs.

Investigation and police raids

The RSPCA began inquiries after buyers reported puppies dying days after purchase. Officers executed warrants at two Beechwood Gardens addresses and one in Longfield Road.

Thirty dogs were removed from one property. Three required urgent veterinary treatment.

At another home on the same road police found five dogs living in wooden sheds. Those animals included a shih tzu, a bichon frise, a cavalier King Charles spaniel, and two Yorkshire terriers.

Animal welfare findings

Inspectors recorded matted coats and visible skin and dental disease. A vet concluded many animals had been suffering.

Other adults were covered in filth. One heavily pregnant dog had mild conjunctivitis and dental problems.

RSPCA inspector Vikki Dawe said the care fell far short of buyer expectations. She described the conditions as poor and the animals as neglected.

Evidence from messages and sales

Investigators found communications revealing frequent puppy purchases. Messages showed trips to Wales to collect animals and references to buying large numbers at once.

The defendants advertised under different names and claimed puppies were from family pets. Buyers were often led to believe the animals came from domestic homes rather than a commercial source.

Sentences and bans

The trio were jailed in January 2024 after convictions for conspiracy to commit fraud and animal welfare offences. They later faced the confiscation hearing.

Beaney received four-and-a-half years and a 10-year ban on keeping dogs. Louise Smith and Maria Smith were each jailed for two years and four months and banned from keeping pets for five years.

Filmogaz.com will continue to follow any further legal developments in this case.