Poulton mum and 2 sons banned from owning animals after imprisoning 22 dogs including French Bulldogs in hell
A mother and her two sons have been banned from keeping animals for a total of 40 years after forcing 22 dogs to live in cramped, dirty and freezing cages at their Fylde coast home.
Michelle Wilding, 59, and Christopher Wilding, 41, both of Mains Lane, Poulton-le-Fylde, were both given suspended jail terms, while Jack Wilding, 29, of the same address, received financial penalties.
French bulldogs and other pets were found in metal cages stacked on top of each other, with no drinking water or bedding, and so soiled with urine and faeces that an RSPCA officer who was sent to investigate said the ammonia smell “burned my nose and throat”.
Lancaster Magistrates Court heard some enclosures were so small the pets could not stand, stretch out or turn around properly, and were seen “constantly spinning and chewing at the metal bars”.
Christopher Wilding also told investigators that the dogs would spend up to 18 hours per day cooped up in the outdoor cages at a time when even daytime temperatures were down to 3C.
All three admitted failing to meet dogs’ needs by not providing veterinary care, adequate food, water, bedding and other essentials - Michelle in respect of 11 dogs, Christopher nine, and Jack one.
Michelle also pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a pocket bully called Diesel, by failing to get him treatment for ulcerated growth and ear and eye conditions.
She also admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a French bulldog called Missy, by failing to get her treatment for ulcerated growth, an eye condition and inflamed paws.
In addition, Christopher pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a pocket bully called Dala, by failing to get her treatment for a swollen teat.
He also admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a bull breed called Havana by failing to get her treatment for ear and eye infections.
At sentencing on July 22, Michelle and Christopher Wilding were each banned from keeping all animals for 15 years and given 27-week jail terms suspended for two years.
They were also ordered to pay a £187 victim surcharge. Michelle was also told to complete 20 Rehabilitation Action Requirement days.
Jack Wilding was banned from keeping animals for ten years and ordered to pay a £270 fine and £108 victim surcharge.
The court heard that the RSPCA first visited the Mains Lane site in January 2021, and advised Michelle Wilding that the dogs’ housing was not suitable.
An inspector said in a statement that she found “piles of rubbish bags in the doorway of the garage full of dog excrement and shavings”.
A pocket bully was found in a cage which was too small and other pets had not been given water.
When the officer returned later the same month, the mother “was sitting in her car on the driveway” and “refused access to see the dogs in the garden or the house”.
“I discussed reducing the number of dogs in her care so that she could provide better accommodation and more enrichment for them. She refused.”
She returned in February and met Christopher Wilding, who admitted the dogs spent up to 18 hours per day in the “small cages” in an outside shed.
“I measured the temperature in a few places around the kennels. It was between 3-7 degrees celsius. I advised that it would drop even colder at night and that this was far too cold for the dogs.”
Advice was given to improve the situation and how to care for the dogs properly.
An animal rescue officer said in a statement that she had been sent to Mains Lane in November 2023 as part of an operation to execute warrants at the address.
“The building had a strong smell of ammonia that burned my nose and throat. There were metal cages round the outside edge of the building, and then more towards the door piled on top of each other.
“Each pen had no food/water or bedding available and contained urine/faeces. The environment was dirty and smelly.
“Some dogs were very cramped and unable to stand or turn around due to lack of space. Some dogs looked like they had pressure type sores, some were constantly spinning and chewing at the metal bars.
“I placed each dog on a lead for the vet to examine, some were friendly but the majority were timid, and some had to be carried as would not walk on a lead.”
She added that inside a garage on the site, there were dogs inside crates which “were very small and dark with no food, water or bedding”.
Her statement continued: “There was a smell of urine and faeces. Inside were 3 x french bulldog type dogs, each of these were quite timid.”
A vet’s report said of medical problems found among the dogs on site, that 12 had “thin body condition”, two had heart murmurs, two eye and two ear infections.
It added: “Many of the dogs showed marked dental disease. The accumulation of plaque and tartar for so many of the dogs, may be an indicator of an unsuitable diet.
“Some dogs were in very cramped cages, impacting the dogs' need to be able to exhibit normal behaviour patterns.
“Many of these dogs showed dental wear, likely from bar biting - a further failure to provide a suitable environment.”
In mitigation, the court heard that Michelle was “not wilful” and did not have a “lack of love” for the animals but was “simply unaware of the health issues”.
Christopher claimed he had been “taken advantage” by his mother during a “constant merry-go-round that they were clearly all struggling to cope with”.
Jack Wilding admitted charges in respect of one dog, Gia, but it was submitted that he “is capable of caring for animals competently”.
After the hearing, RSPCA Inspector Will Lamping, said: “This has been a long, complicated case to investigate.
“The court heard that these dogs were kept in conditions which no animal should suffer. They were confined in tight spaces surrounded by dirt and denied food, water and medical aid.
“There was no need for this to have happened, and it is a relief to have been able to take those animals to a place of safety and get them the veterinary care they needed.”
When and where it is appropriate, RSPCA staff will look to rehome those dogs recovered from the property.
The offences
Michelle Wilding was charged with the following:
“That between 25th October 2023 and 8th November 2023 at Mains Lane, Poulton-le-Fylde, you did cause unnecessary suffering to a certain animal namely a male black and white pocket bully known as Diesel, by failing to provide veterinary treatment in respect of an ulcerated growth, inflamed ears and an eye condition (Entropion) and you knew or ought reasonably to have known that your failure to act would have the effect of causing the animal to suffer or be likely to do so, contrary to Section 4(1) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006”.
That between 25th October 2023 and 8th November 2023 at Mains Lane, Poulton-le-Fylde, you did cause unnecessary suffering to a certain animal namely a female tan French bulldog type known as Missy, by failing to provide veterinary treatment in respect of an ulcerated mass, dry and infected eyes and inflammation of the paws and you knew or ought reasonably to have known that your failure to act would have the effect of causing the animal to suffer or be likely to do so, contrary to Section 4(1) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006”.
“That between 8th October 2023 and 8th November 2023 at Mains Lane, Poulton-le-Fylde, you being jointly concerned with Christopher Wilding and Jack Alfred Wilding, did not take such steps as were reasonable in all the circumstances to ensure that the needs of animals namely 22 dogs kept in a building described variously as a barn, outhouse or metal shed for which you were responsible were met to the extent required by good practice by one or a combination of the following:
- Confining the animals in cages of insufficient sizes.
- By failing to provide adequate bedding.
- By failing to provide fresh, clean drinking water at all times.
- By failing to provide any environmental enrichment.
- By failing to provide required veterinary attention.
- By failing to provide adequate nutrition for the animals’ needs.
- By failing to enable the animals to exhibit normal behaviour patterns.
contrary to Section 9(1) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006”.
Christopher Wilding was charged with the following:
“That between 1st November 2023 and 8th November 2023 at Mains Lane, Poulton-le-Fylde, you, did cause unnecessary suffering to a certain animal namely a female tan pocket bully known as Dala, by failing to provide veterinary treatment in respect of a swollen and ulcerated teat and you knew or ought reasonably to have known that your failure to act would have the effect of causing the animal to suffer or be likely to do so, contrary to Section 4(1) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006”.
“That between 8th October 2023 and 8th November 2023 at Mains Lane, Poulton-le-Fylde, you being jointly concerned with Michelle Wilding and Jack Alfred Wilding, did not take such steps as were reasonable in all the circumstances to ensure that the needs of animals namely 22 dogs kept in a building described variously as a barn, outhouse or metal shed for which you were responsible were met to the extent required by good practice by one or a combination of the following:
- Confining the animals in cages of insufficient sizes.
- By failing to provide adequate bedding.
- By failing to provide fresh, clean drinking water at all times.
- By failing to provide any environmental enrichment.
- By failing to provide required veterinary attention.
- By failing to provide adequate nutrition for the animals’ needs.
- By failing to enable the animals to exhibit normal behaviour patterns.
contrary to Section 9(1) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006”.
“That between 1st October 2023 and 8th November 2023 at Mains Lane,
Poulton-le-Fylde, you did cause unnecessary suffering to a certain animal namely a female grey and white bull breed type dog known as Havana, by failing to provide veterinary treatment in respect of skin disease and eye disease and you knew or ought reasonably to have known that your failure to act would have the effect of causing the animal to suffer or be likely to do so, contrary to Section 4(1) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006”.
Jack Wilding was charged with the following:
“That between 8th October 2023 and 8th November 2023 at Mains Lane, Poulton-le-Fylde, you being jointly concerned with Christopher Wilding and Michelle Wilding, did not take such steps as were reasonable in all the circumstances to ensure that the needs of animals namely 22 dogs kept in a building described variously as a barn, outhouse or metal shed for which you were responsible were met to the extent required by good practice by one or a combination of the following:
- Confining the animals in cages of insufficient sizes.
- By failing to provide adequate bedding.
- By failing to provide fresh, clean drinking water at all times.
- By failing to provide any environmental enrichment.
- By failing to provide required veterinary attention.
- By failing to provide adequate nutrition for the animals’ needs.
- By failing to enable the animals to exhibit normal behaviour patterns.
contrary to Section 9(1) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006”.