Seventy-nine of 80 springer spaniels found starving and living in squalid conditions in a South Yorkshire house have been rehomed, while the man convicted of animal cruelty faces the prospect of a prison sentence.
David Parkes, 61, was found guilty of three animal welfare offences after denying that he owned or was responsible for the dogs. He will be sentenced at Doncaster Magistrates’ Court on December 9.
Inspectors discovered the animals at the property in Tickhill, near Doncaster, last April. The dogs were crowded together on a rotting staircase covered in dirt and grime, with the house heavily contaminated by urine and faeces.
Four Patterdale terriers and two cats were also rescued from the property. One of the dogs was later put down, but the remaining animals have since been found new homes across the country.
Rescued spaniels begin new lives
Among those rehomed is Cloud, who was adopted by Morgan Bulman and Luke Shepherd from an RSPCA branch in Hull, East Yorkshire.
Morgan, 22, described Cloud as one of the “craziest” dogs at the centre. She said the spaniel still had matted fur and was yellow when she arrived, but was eager to play despite being hesitant.
After seeing a video of the dogs following Parkes’s sentencing hearing, Morgan believed she could spot Cloud among them.
“I was laying in bed when I saw it and I just brought her in for a big cuddle, thinking how could she go from that to how she is now,” she said.
Cloud has since settled into her new life, enjoying playing with a ball and meeting people.
“She loves people so much, loves them more than other dogs, which is weird when she was living with 80 plus of them,” Morgan added.
Polly, one of the youngest dogs rescued from the house, was taken in by Lisa Marchant, also from Hull. She said Polly was “high on life” and “absolutely bonkers for a ball”, adding that she was good with her children, the family cat and everyone she met.
Fifi was adopted by Keira Kirkup, from Chester-le-Street, County Durham. She said the dog still had anxious moments and was wary of some objects, including saucepans being taken from a cupboard, while also trying to eat rubbish from the floor.
Joanna Baldwin, from Southport, Merseyside, adopted Darcy. She said the spaniel had “come so far” and was now affectionate and a joy to be around.
Other dogs have been placed in homes across Yorkshire, Greater Manchester and the Midlands. Sprite was adopted by Sue and Jason Kairies in Lichfield, Staffordshire, while Mac now lives with Georgia and Ben in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.
Pepsi, one of the Patterdale terriers, was taken in by Harriet Lythell and her partner Marshall in Worksop, Nottinghamshire.
Four spaniels begin police training
Four of the rescued spaniels – Bruce, Pablo, Lola and Nellie – have also been given the chance of a new role with Greater Manchester Police’s tactical dog unit.
They are being trained as sniffer dogs and could help officers detect drugs, cash and other items during investigations if their training is successful.
Officer Wes Donnelly said: “We’re giving them the best life possible.”
“These dogs have gone from being neglected to having a real purpose. Providing their training goes well they’ll soon be helping us detect drugs, cash and other items that support investigations.”
The force has taken on the spaniels as part of an expansion of its tactical dog unit, which now operates around the clock.
Family said dogs were therapy animals
Parkes, a children’s social worker with no previous convictions, told Barnsley Magistrates’ Court that the dogs were primarily “therapy animals” for his son Sam, 28, who has autism. He also accepted that all 80 dogs were family pets.
His wife, Delphine, 60, and their son admitted similar charges in January. Delphine, who is registered disabled, told an inspector that things had “got out of control since Covid”.
Parkes blamed his heavy workload for failing to do more to protect the animals, telling the court: “Typically speaking, I worked all the way through the night… My commitment was to work. It should have been home that I prioritised.”
Prosecutor Philip Brown said the house was “heavily contaminated” and that the family had been “completely out of its depth”. He accused Parkes of “burying his head in the sand” and distancing himself from responsibility because he feared losing his job.
All three defendants will be sentenced in December. The maximum sentence Parkes can receive at a magistrates’ court is 12 months.
