A smallholder in Penstruthal, Cornwall, who kept pigs, poultry and a llama in filthy and dangerous conditions has been banned for five years from keeping farm animals, including llamas.

Gary Joseph Clark pleaded guilty at Truro Magistrates Court to six offences relating to a failure to care for the animals under the Animal Health Act, 2006.

The offences related to a failure to care for the pigs, poultry and llama, that were kept at Treveth, Cornwall Allotments, Penstruthal, Cornwall. Over the course of three visits made by Cornwall Council’s Animal Health officers and an Animal Plant and Health Agency vet, the enclosure for the pigs was found to be continually waterlogged, with mud coming up to the animals’ bellies. The only water available for them to drink was dirty and muddy and they had access to hazardous objects such as nails and sharp edges.

South West Farmer:

The pigs at Treveth

A llama at the site had no shelter from the elements and there were sharp objects including nails and sharp projections found in its enclosure.

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The poultry was not provided with clean dry litter and also did not have access to fresh water.

Despite the extensive advice he was given over the course of the visits, Mr Clark made only minor improvements to the unacceptable conditions in which the animals were kept. All requests to remove the sharp objects and to provide dry lying areas and fresh water were ignored.

Despite Mr Clark’s guilty plea, the court’s bench took a very dim view of the conditions in which the animals were kept. He was given 28 days to comply with the ban instructions and fined £720 for the Animal Welfare Offences. He also had to pay a victim surcharge of £72.

Andy Burnside, senior trading standards officer from the Quality Standards and Animal Health team of Public Protection, said: “Officers found repeated non-compliance despite providing extensive advice over a period of time. In such cases, where there is a complete disregard for farm animal welfare, the council will always take formal action to protect animals and the good reputation of Cornish farmers and smallholders.”