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.



New Pair of Giant Pandas Gifted by Beijing Arrives in Hong Kong

A zookeeper feeds An An, one of two giant pandas gifted to Hong Kong, before heading to its new destination, at Dujiangyan Base of the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda in Dujiangyan, in southwestern China's Sichuan province on September 24, 2024. (Photo by AFP) / China OUT
A zookeeper feeds An An, one of two giant pandas gifted to Hong Kong, before heading to its new destination, at Dujiangyan Base of the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda in Dujiangyan, in southwestern China's Sichuan province on September 24, 2024. (Photo by AFP) / China OUT
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New Pair of Giant Pandas Gifted by Beijing Arrives in Hong Kong

A zookeeper feeds An An, one of two giant pandas gifted to Hong Kong, before heading to its new destination, at Dujiangyan Base of the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda in Dujiangyan, in southwestern China's Sichuan province on September 24, 2024. (Photo by AFP) / China OUT
A zookeeper feeds An An, one of two giant pandas gifted to Hong Kong, before heading to its new destination, at Dujiangyan Base of the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda in Dujiangyan, in southwestern China's Sichuan province on September 24, 2024. (Photo by AFP) / China OUT

Hong Kong welcomed a new pair of giant pandas gifted by Beijing on Thursday with a lavish ceremony, raising hopes for a boost to the city's tourism.
An An and Ke Ke are the third pair of giant pandas to be sent to the city from mainland China since the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Their arrival came after their new neighbor, Ying Ying, gave birth to twins last month and became the world’s oldest first-time panda mother on record, The Associated Press reported.
The newcomers bring the Ocean Park panda population to six, including the father of the twins, Le Le. Ocean Park chairman Paulo Pong Kin-Yee noted that would make three generations of giant pandas at the popular Hong Kong zoo and aquarium attraction.
Chief Executive John Lee said An An is a 5-year-old male panda who is agile, intelligent and active, while Ke Ke, a 5-year-old female, is good at climbing, cute and has a gentle temperament.
The new arrivals will be in quarantine for two months to adapt to their new home. Lee expressed hope that the public could meet the new bears in mid-December.
In October, the government will invite residents to propose new names that showcase the pandas’ characteristics.
Tourism industry representatives are optimistic about the potential impact of housing six pandas, hoping it will boost visitor numbers in Hong Kong. Officials have encouraged businesses to capitalize on the popularity of the new bears and newborn cubs to seize opportunities in what some lawmakers have dubbed the “panda economy."
Pandas are considered China’s unofficial national mascot. The country's giant panda loan program with overseas zoos has long been seen as a tool of Beijing’s soft-power diplomacy. Giant pandas are only found in China's southwest and their population is under threat from development.
But caring for pandas in captivity is expensive.