Social worker kept 84 dogs in house covered in dirt and faeces

A children's social worker has been convicted of animal cruelty after inspectors discovered 84 dogs and two cats living in "appalling" conditions in his South Yorkshire home.

David Parkes, 61, had denied animal welfare offences, claiming his wife and son were primarily responsible for caring for the animals, but was found guilty following a two-day trial at Barnsley Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

Officers who visited the property in Tickhill, near Doncaster, in April last year were met by an "overpowering" stench that left officers struggling to breathe or speak as they navigated rooms "caked" several inches deep in dirt, faeces and matted fur. The smell was so bad that one officer had to leave to be sick.

Inside the kitchen, officers were confronted by dozens of "very scared and timid" spaniels, cowering against the walls as they tried to retreat from the squalor.

Veterinary inspectors described a site of total neglect, telling the court the animals "were living in filth and squalor" and were denied the most basic essentials, including clean water, food, bedding, or room to move.

"Many of the dogs were underweight, probably due to their lack of ability to compete with the other dogs for resources," an inspecting vet stated in evidence, adding: "Any reasonable and humane person would have recognised these problems and addressed them."

Subsequent veterinary examinations revealed that 14 of the dogs were severely emaciated and had suffered needlessly for at least a month.

Inspectors uncovered harrowing injuries across the pack. Five dogs had infected cuts where someone had attempted to slice away matted fur, one spaniel was left suffering from an excruciatingly painful broken leg, and another was in such a severe condition it had to be put down.

When questioned about the sheer volume of animals packed into the house, Parkes told inspectors that the unneutered dogs had simply been left to "breed by themselves".

Despite denying he owned or was responsible for the animals, magistrates rejected Parkes's defence following evidence presented by the charity.

His wife, Delphine Parkes, 60, and son, Sam Parkes, 28, who resided at the same address, had previously pleaded guilty to three animal welfare charges in January.

The vast majority of the animals – primarily springer spaniel-types and four patterdale terriers – were removed from Mr Parkes’ address and placed into the care of RSPCA rescue centres across the country.

Following extensive rehabilitation by charity workers, 83 of the dogs and both cats have since been successfully placed in new homes.

All three family members are scheduled to be sentenced at Doncaster Magistrates' Court on 9 December.