Preston man banned from keeping animals for 10 years after dogs found in squalid cages with cropped ears
A Preston man has been banned from keeping animals for ten years after nine dogs and eight puppies were found living in squalid conditions, many with their ears illegally cropped.
WARNING: Contains distressing images.
Quarn Gonzales, 32, formerly of Colwyn Place in Ingol and now of Shelley Road, Preston, was sentenced at Lancaster Magistrates’ Court on Friday, August 8.
He received a 20-week custodial sentence, suspended for two years, after admitting eight offences under the Animal Welfare Act.
He must also pay £2,000 in costs and cannot appeal his ban for five years.
The case began when the RSPCA gathered intelligence from Gonzales’ Facebook and Instagram accounts showing young dogs with cropped ears - a painful, unnecessary procedure that is illegal in the UK.
Earlier images and videos of the same animals, bred by Gonzales, showed their ears intact.
On September 16, 2022, police, RSPCA officers and vets raided his home. Inside, dogs were confined in pens soiled with faeces and urine, with no bedding, food or water.
Two enclosures each contained four puppies with urine-soaked coats, one of which was visibly weaker, smaller and struggling to walk.
Describing one of the pens, RSPCA Deputy Chief Inspector Carl Larsson said: “The pen was an open-topped, black metal cage with a plastic floor.
“The tray was soiled with faeces and urine with no bedding, newspaper or puppy pads.
“As a result, the dogs were walking around in their own waste and were wet when picked up. There was no food or water for them.”
Two bull breeds with cropped ears were kept in enclosures either too small to lie down comfortably or without suitable resting areas.
Three others were confined under the stairs in a dark, poorly lit space, while more dogs - including a French Bulldog type - were found in the rear yard.
All the animals were removed on veterinary advice, seized as evidence and taken for urgent examination and treatment by the RSPCA.
One vet reported that seven of the adult dogs had healed, illegally cropped ears.
Another dog had an untreated leg injury at least five days old, while others showed signs of ear canal inflammation, skin disease, pressure sores, conjunctivitis, deformed tails and old bite wounds.
A puppy with stunted growth had marked neurological abnormalities, likely caused by a congenital spinal malformation, and was humanely put to sleep on welfare grounds.
Further investigation linked other cropped dogs - including Medusa, Huncho and Prada - to Gonzales via the breeder website Bully Pedex.
Earlier images showed these dogs with their ears intact.
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The court heard that Gonzales had repeatedly denied ownership of any of the puppies, claiming they belonged to someone else, but failed to provide any contact details.
The dogs were taken into the care of various RSPCA centres, including the charity’s Blackpool and North Lancashire branch, which cared for Winnie, Huncho and Prada.
A confiscation order was also imposed, allowing the RSPCA to take possession of any other animals still owned by Gonzales.
Speaking after sentencing, Det Chief Insp Larsson said: “Ear cropping is a painful and unnecessary procedure in which a dog’s ears are removed or surgically altered.
“Sadly, many owners think the look is glamorous or makes their pet look tough.
“Whilst this practice is illegal in the UK, it still happens, and dogs can be legally imported having had the procedure done overseas.
“Anyone looking to buy a dog should remember this is a barbaric practice which has hugely negative impacts on the animals.”
PC Sean Dalby from Lancashire Constabulary’s South Rural Task Force added: “We will continue to investigate and target animal cruelty offenders and support the RSPCA with this work throughout the county.”