Illegal dog breeder caught after Facebook boasts

AN ILLEGAL “bully” dog breeder was busted after Facebook users complained about his £1,000-a-time puppies.

Anton Boston, 26, advertised his American Bully dogs on social media with boasts about their champion pedigree. He would sell the pups for over £1,000 each, as well as offer his studs out to fellow breeders.

But a court heard Boston was an unlicensed breeder and his animals had fake puppy passports.

The American Bully was produced by mixing Staffordshire terriers and Pit Bull terriers bred to several bulldog-type breeds.

Cardiff council launched an investigation into Boston after dog lovers saw his Boston Bullies Wales business on Facebook.

And when officers and RSPCA officials raided his home in Ely, Cardiff, they found six adult dogs and five puppies with two fraudulent canine passports.

A spokesman for Cardiff council said: “It was clear to officers that not only did Boston not have a licence to breed dogs, and appeared to have two fraudulent passports for two of the dogs, there was no other paperwork for the remaining animals and he was breeding more than the permitted levels.”

Boston was convicted of illegal breeding and fraud at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court.

District Judge Shomon Khan told Crohn’s disease-sufferer Boston that if it wasn’t for his health condition and the risk posed by Covid-19 he would be sent straight to prison.

Boston was handed a 32-week suspended sentence and a 16-week tagged curfew.

Speaking after the case, Cardiff councillor Michael Michael said: “Our officers were investigating Anton Boston for some time, due to the complaints that we received from a number of sources.

“We will be keeping a very close eye on Anton Boston to ensure he doesn’t breach any of the conditions of his sentence.”