A Pembrokeshire father and daughter have admitted causing unnecessary suffering to animals.
Richard Scarfe of Park Street Pembroke Dock and his daughter Brogan Scarfe of Woodbine Terrace, Pembroke, appeared at Swansea Crown Court on March 4th charged under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 of causing unnecessary suffering to pigs, sheep, poultry and dogs, between 25th January 2022 and 18th April 2023.
Richard Scarfe was further charged with breaching a Court Order, made on January 26th 2022 following a conviction for animal welfare offences, banning him from owning, keeping or participating in the keeping of goats, donkeys, cattle, sheep and pigs, or being party to any arrangement under which he was entitled to control or have influence over their care, for a period of five years.
The prosecution by Pembrokeshire County Council followed a number of visits to the site, initially to monitor the welfare of animals and, as conditions deteriorated, to secure veterinary support and subsequent intervention.
Over the course of the visits it was established that Richard Scarfe continued to play a role in the keeping of animals and to be actively involved in the day-to-day husbandry activities, contrary to the disqualification.
Officers also found that the welfare needs of the animals were not being met and as matters deteriorated that the animals were subject to unnecessary suffering.
On one occasion officers found dead pigs left in close proximity to enclosures with live pigs.
The enclosures were unsuitable with hazardous materials and knee deep in mud, there was also no clean dry lying available and no food or continuous drinking water.
The pigs were inappropriately housed in large numbers resulting in fighting, aggression and injury.
One pig in particular had extensive damage to both ears, likely as a result of cannibalistic behaviour caused by the pigs competing for the limited food and space.
Sheep were repeatedly found with insufficient water and food, were thin and of poor body condition, with the ribs and spine clearly visible.
Dogs were found locked in a makeshift kennel block. The kennels were too small to accommodate the dogs and littered in faeces causing a strong, foul smell.
The dogs were never seen loose from their kennels on any visit made by officers.
A number of the dogs were under weight and nervous. A private vet’s opinion was sought on the dogs’ condition and wellbeing.
Over the course of the visits officers had expressed concern over standards and sought to offer animal welfare and husbandry advice to both Richard and Brogan Scarfe, to address the immediate welfare needs of the animals.
However, this failed to result in meaningful improvement, and veterinary surgeons from the Animal and Plant Health Agency were asked to assist and to provide independent veterinary opinion on cattle, pigs, sheep and poultry.
With the veterinary opinions being that the animals on the site were suffering unnecessarily as a result of serious failures in their care, veterinary officers issued a certificate under Section 18 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 for the removal of the animals to a place of safety and to prevent further suffering.
One cow, 26 Sheep, 43 Pigs, 23 poultry and five dogs were subsequently seized and removed to a place of sanctuary where they were examined by a veterinary surgeon, with many needing medical intervention.
During the hearing Richard Scarfe pleaded guilty to two offences under section 4(1) and 32(1) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, namely pigs and sheep.
Brogan Scarfe pleaded guilty to two offences under section 9 (1) and section 32(2) of the Act of failing in her duty to take reasonable steps in all the circumstances to ensure that the needs of an animal (namely sheep and pigs) for which they are responsible are met to the extent required by good practice.
The father and daughter will be sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on May 12th, 2025.
Councillor Jacob Williams, Cabinet Member for Planning and Regulatory Services, said: “The lack of care shown to animals in this case was evident to both officers and veterinary experts, and will unfortunately have resulted in needless suffering.
“Officers initially sought to offer guidance to secure improvements in welfare conditions, however this wasn’t acted upon appropriately so the Council had no alternative but to seek veterinary input and, ultimately, legal powers were used to take control of the animals to prevent further suffering.
“The fact that Mr Scarfe continued to keep animals, despite being disqualified from undertaking any activity of this sort, is clearly unacceptable, and this was a clear factor in the poor standards of animal husbandry witnessed in this sad case.”
