A father and son running an unlicensed puppy farm have been given a 10-year ban after causing keeping animals in "horrendous" conditions causing them "suffering and pain".
Samuel Ronald Hessin, 49, and his son Samuel Arthur Hessin, 22, of Balnamoon, Crossroads, Moray, kept dogs in filthy and unhygienic conditions which left many of them sick.
The men previously pled guilty to failing to provide veterinary treatment or a suitable living environment for the dogs, at Elgin Sheriff Court on June 6.
On July 7, the pair were given a 10-year ban from owning dogs and ordered to serve 300 hours of community service.
Many of the puppies were suffering from skin conditions and eye infections as well as suffering from respiratory diseases.
As well as the floors being covered in faeces, their food was also contaminated by it, a raid in 2019 uncovered.
Samuel Arthur Hessin has placed multiple adverts on Gumtree and Freeads using 18 different names and mobile numbers to deceive buyers into thinking they were buying family pets.
Instead, they were buying sick and mistreated pets, many imported from Northern Ireland, from an unlicensed breeding operation.
Two of the dogs rescued were pregnant but one died during labour, which was believed to be her third pregnancy in a year - the litters meant animal rescue workers were caring for 78 dogs in total.
A Scottish SPCA special investigations unit inspector involved in the case said “These dogs were kept in horrendous conditions which were ripe for causing horrific disease and suffering.
"After we seized them, vets found many were suffering from a host of skin, eye and respiratory diseases.
"Many dogs were carrying wounds consistent with kennel fights and we are in no doubt this was due to the stress caused by the conditions these poor animals were kept in.
“The stench of urine, lack of proper bedding and the amount of faeces on the floors and even in amongst what small amount of food was out, clearly showed there was no regard for the welfare of these dogs.
"All of this, combined with the lack of ventilation, meant disease spread with ease among these poor animals.
"This site was clearly a low-welfare puppy farm.
“Two of the female dogs were pregnant when they came in to our care.
"Sadly, the birth was just too much for one of them and she passed away during labour.
"We believe she had been badly overbred and it was her third litter in just one year.
“Thankfully, due to the care and dedication of our animal care teams we were able to successfully rehabilitate the remaining dogs and find them loving homes.
“Unfortunately, as long as there is a demand for puppies online this problem will only continue to grow and dogs will continue to suffer."
Adult dogs were found crammed into crates with little room to move and forced to sit in their own waste.
Three puppies named Tiree, Calla and Danna were suffering from chronic skin conditions.
Danna also suffered from an eye condition which required surgery.
Another dog, Scarba, was suffering from fractured teeth, an infected neck laceration and an ear mite infestation.
The breeders relinquished ownership of all but four of the dogs and puppies to the SSPCA on October 9, 2019 at the Moray Council officers.
Andy Shanks, Procurator Fiscal for Grampian, Highland and Islands, said: “This was a case of widespread and indiscriminate neglect where dogs and puppies were caused suffering and pain by Samuel Ronald Hessin and Samuel Arthur Hessin.
“I would like to thank the Scottish SPCA, Moray Trading Standards and Police Scotland for their part in investigating and gathering evidence of these offences.
“We expect the highest standards of commercial dog breeders and are committed to working with enforcing authorities to ensure that those who do not meet these standards are held to account.”
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