Crufts winner banned for keeping dogs in ‘horrific’ state

A FORMER Crufts winner has been banned from keeping dogs for life after more than 30 animals were found living in “disgraceful” conditions at her home.

Margaret Greaves, 64, kept 30 dogs, two cats and two parrots in dark rooms and in cramped cages covered in faeces and urine.

She won the flyball competition at Crufts in 2014 with her team the Mansfield Marnicks and was respected in the dog training community.

But the RSPCA raided her farm house on April 6 this year after one of the dogs was spotted in a van at the property. Mansfield magistrates’ court heard the stench at the farm house in Sutton, Notts, was so bad it “made your throat burn as you walked in”.

Greaves admitted four counts of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and two counts of failing to meet the needs of an animal.

She was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months and was told she would be banned from keeping dogs or assisting in the keeping of dogs for life and banned from keeping other animals for three years.

She was also ordered to pay £500 in costs and a £115 victim surcharge, with all the dogs at her home being removed from her care. District Judge Timothy Spruce, describing her as an “experienced keeper”, said: “Having listened to the prosecution and viewed the photographs of the animals in question it is clear to me that the level of suffering is at the high end.”

RSPCA inspector Laura Kirkham described the situation as “absolutely horrific”.