October 19, 2018 2.36 pm This story is over 64 months old

Three charged over Four Paws raid

Each have been charged with 17 offences

The former owner of a veterinary centre, where 160 dogs and cats were rescued during a multi-agency raid earlier this year, and two family members will face multiple charges at a court hearing next week.

As previously reported, the animals were rescued as police and RSPCA officers raided the Four Paws Veterinary Centre in South Killingholme on March 22 where dogs and cats were reportedly being kept in cages full of excrement and urine.

Former owner Jodie Fairbrother and family members Paul and Libby-Jo Fairbrother, all of Nar Fokak in Cyrpus, have each been charged with 17 offences and will appear before Grimsby Magistrates Court on Friday, October 26.

RSPCA assisted Humberside Police in the raid.

All three have each been charged with 13 counts of causing unnecessary suffering to proceed animals and four counts of animal welfare offences under a prosecution being brought by the RSPCA.

All privately owned animals returned

Back in August the RSPCA announced that all privately owned animals rescued in the raid have been returned to their owners.

The remaining dogs and cats who are without owners will remain in the care of the RSPCA and Dogs Trust.

At the time a spokesperson for the RSPCA said: “We’re pleased to say that all of the privately owned animals – who were removed from 4Paws when we joined police to execute a warrant on March 22 – have now been given to their families.

“We’d like to thank everyone for being so patient and giving us the time we needed to properly assess and health test these animals before giving them the go ahead to be transported to homes across the country.

“The remaining dogs and cats – who had no owners at the time of the warrant – will remain in RSPCA and Dogs Trust care until they can be rehomed.”

Police and RSPCA officers raided the vets centre near Grimsby

Dog tests reveal serious diseases

It was revealed by the RSPCA back in June that some dogs tested positive for serious transferrable diseases after the raid

The RSPCA tested nearly 150 dogs from outside the UK in connection with the raid.

Regarding the tests the RSPCA said at the time: “Importantly, we had to carry out tests and checks on 144 dogs which have come from outside the UK for a number of serious, transferable diseases that are not usually found here, such as Leishmaniosis.

“Some of these diseases have the potential to be passed on to humans, as well as other dogs.

“The results for some of these tests were positive for some of the dogs so we’ve also had to allow time for further tests.”