Woman Jailed over Neglect of 191 Dogs

Most of the dogs were kept in crates and cages in a remote Devon field, the court heard - RSPCA
Most of the dogs were kept in crates and cages in a remote Devon field, the court heard - RSPCA
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Woman Jailed over Neglect of 191 Dogs

Most of the dogs were kept in crates and cages in a remote Devon field, the court heard - RSPCA
Most of the dogs were kept in crates and cages in a remote Devon field, the court heard - RSPCA

A woman who kept 191 dogs in "pitiful" conditions in Devon has been jailed.

Diana Curtis, 66, of Peters Marland, had kept the dogs in crates and cages in a remote field near Chittlehamholt and in kennels near Chulmleigh Cross, Exeter Crown Court heard, BBC reported.

Curtis had previously pleaded guilty to seven counts of causing unnecessary suffering to animals.

She was jailed for 25 months and handed a lifetime ban from owning animals.

Two animals had to be put down, while others were found with scars, infected wounds and missing ears, probably caused by fighting, the court was told.

The RSPCA said three other puppies also died because of their ill health.

Sentencing, Judge James Adkin said pictures showed the dogs were in "a truly pitiful condition".

"You put yourself and your own feelings before the animals causing them considerable suffering," he said.

The court heard Curtis moved 99 dogs to a remote field with no water or electricity supply near Chittlehamholt.

Other dogs were kept in kennels in Chulmleigh Cross.

Local farmer Bill Bowen tipped off police because of the noise of the barking animals, the court was told.

RSPCA inspectors said they found dogs kept in cramped conditions standing on top of one another to drink water.

Curtis later turned up in a lorry with another 92 dogs inside, the court heard.

The court heard she had already been banned from keeping animals after being convicted in December 2023 of ill-treating horses, chickens and ducks.

For those offences, she was jailed for 16 weeks, suspended for 12 months, and told to pay £10,000 costs.

Mr Bowen said he spent more than two hours on the phone to police after he and his daughter discovered the dogs in the field.

He said it was a shocking sight to see with many of the dogs looking ill.

"Three days later it snowed really heavily and a lot of those dogs would have died in that snow," Mr Bowen said.



Gulf States Record High Temperatures After Summer Solstice

Days will gradually shorten as the Earth orbits until the autumnal equinox on September 22 (SPA)
Days will gradually shorten as the Earth orbits until the autumnal equinox on September 22 (SPA)
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Gulf States Record High Temperatures After Summer Solstice

Days will gradually shorten as the Earth orbits until the autumnal equinox on September 22 (SPA)
Days will gradually shorten as the Earth orbits until the autumnal equinox on September 22 (SPA)

The Arab Gulf region saw temperatures soar earlier this week after a hot spell, with Makkah, Saudi Arabia, hitting 51 degrees Celsius last Monday.

 

Despite this, Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Meteorology assured Asharq Al-Awsat that current summer temperatures haven’t exceeded those of the past three years, typically ranging from 38 to 48 degrees Celsius over the season’s 92 days.

 

The summer solstice, marking the start of astronomical summer in the Northern Hemisphere, occurred on June 20 at 11:50 PM local time, with the sun directly over the Tropic of Cancer.

 

Days will gradually shorten as the Earth orbits until the autumnal equinox on September 22.

 

In recent days, Saudi Arabia reached highs of 49 degrees Celsius in Al-Qaysumah and Al-Ahsa.

 

Meanwhile, the UAE's Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Al Ain recorded 47 degrees Celsius, and Oman saw its highest temperature of 49.2 degrees Celsius in Al-Dhahirah.

 

Qatar’s Jumayliyah hit 48 degrees Celsius, while Kuwait anticipated 50 degrees Celsius in Jahra.

 

Bahrain expected temperatures to reach 45 degrees Celsius over the weekend.