Stud farm woman cleared of cruelty

RSPCA inspectors seized four dogs belonging to Barbara Joyce, 51, of Manor Farm cottage, in May last year.

The RSPCA was tipped off after a couple answered an advertisement in the Friday-Ad, appealing for a home for a dog. But they were alarmed by the dogs' thin and ill appearances and raised the alarm.

A Labrador, called Lady, had bones clearly visible and was suffering from diarrhoea. She was so weak she was unable to climb into the back of a car.

The dog weighed just 18kg; a healthy animal of its size should have weighed up to 30kg.

Mrs Joyce and her son Oliver, 27, were accused of not taking proper care of the dogs and charged with four counts of causing unnecessary suffering to animals. Both pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Mrs Joyce, who runs Quimper Stud Farm at Rodmell, said she had rescued the dogs from Ireland in March last year and was nursing them back to health. They had been mistreated and were in an even worse state when she found them, she claimed.

At Lewes Magistrates' Court, on Thursday last week, Nigel Weller, defending, argued it was not unusual for his client to have thin animals on her farm. He said: 'By the nature of running a dog rescue there is always the possibility of having dogs there that will be thin.' He added: 'All animals come to Mrs Joyce in a very poor state.'

The dogs were given three meals a day and were putting on weight, albeit slowly.

'Mrs Joyce has not caused suffering to these dogs, it was someone else,' said Mr Weller.

Deputy district Judge James Shrimpton said it had not been proved beyond reasonable doubt that Mrs Joyce was responsible for the animals' ill health.

He accepted they were ill and suffering when they were first inspected and suggested there were too many animals at the stud farm and not enough people to look after them. Around 200 animals in total were found on the land.

He conceded the animals had not received the level of treatment they would have had from a vet or RSPCA rehabilitation centre but was convinced Mrs Joyce had done what a 'reasonably caring' dog owner would have done.

Four charges of causing unnecessary suffering to animals made against Mrs Joyce's son Oliver Joyce were dropped due to insufficient evidence.

He was also found not guilty of having custody of an animal while disqualified for five years.