More than 80 dogs rescued from 'appalling' home rehomed

The dogs were rehomed through the charity’s network of centres across the North, including locations in Preston and Accrington.

The animals were discovered at a property in near Doncaster on April 17, last year, following a joint operation by the RSPCA and police.

Most of the dogs were Springer Spaniel-types, found living in filthy, overcrowded rooms caked in faeces and dirt, with more than 30 dogs found crowded on the stairs and landing.

Many of the rooms were covered from floor to ceiling in faeces and dirt several inches thick (Image: RSPCA)

RSPCA inspector Kristy Ludlam said: "The door into the kitchen was opened and we were met with twenty to twenty five Springer Spaniels, some huddled in the corners, others running around.

"The kitchen was covered in dirt and faeces from floor to ceiling.

"The dogs were cowering and huddling in a corner or jumping on the kitchen sides near the window at the back of the room.

"They were very dirty, their fur covered in faeces, and many of their ears had lumps of dirt stuck to them, almost like dreadlocks.

"There were approximately 33 Springer Spaniels crowding the stairs barking and staring at me.

"The stairs were caked in dirt, approximately six to seven inches sat on top of each step from the bottom almost all the way to the top."

RSPCA officers first visited the property on April 5, 2023, following reports of a dog with an injured leg.

After receiving no response during a follow-up visit, officers returned with police and a warrant on April 17, forcing entry through a back door.

Several dogs had bilateral ear infections and one Spaniel had been found with a broken front leg (Image: RSPCA)

David Parkes, a children’s social worker, was found guilty of three animal welfare offences after a two-day trial at Barnsley Magistrates’ Court on September 29 this year.

His wife, Delphine Parkes, and son, Sam Parkes, had already pleaded guilty to the same offences.

All three will be sentenced at Doncaster Magistrates’ Court on December 9.

The RSPCA successfully rehomed all but one of the animals through branch-run centres, including Southport, Preston, and Accrington.

One of the dogs, found with a broken leg, was treated at the charity’s Greater Manchester Animal Hospital before being rehomed.

A spokesperson for the RSPCA said the number of dogs had 'rapidly spiralled' because none had been neutered.

The family had attempted to give away some of the dogs but were not large-scale breeders, the court heard.

Following the rescue most of the dogs were taken to private boarding facilities on behalf of the RSPCA (Image: RSPCA)

A veterinarian who examined 46 of the dogs found that 14 were emaciated and had been suffering for at least a month.

Five dogs had infected cuts on their ears, believed to be from attempts to cut away matted fur with scissors.

A vet said: "A very large number of animals were being kept in an inadequate space.

"They were living in filth and squalor.

"They were not provided with sufficient resources for their basic needs such as water, adequate food, beds or toys.

"Any reasonable and humane person would have recognised these problems and addressed them."