Owners of doggy day care business hit with ban after sickening abuse

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A father and daughter who were involved in the running of a doggy day care business have been sentenced, after footage emerged on social media showcasing dogs being hit and smacked.

Lauren Walker and her dad John Walker pleaded guilty to animal welfare offences following a probe by the RSPCA into Mucky Pups Day Care.

The pair, who ran the company in Rishton, Lancashire, have now been prohibited from holding a council animal welfare license so are unable to run a similar business to their doggy day care in the future, as reported by Lancs Live.John Walker, aged 69, was given a ten-year ban on holding such a license and Lauren Walker, 31, a five-year ban.Hyndburn Borough Council previously revoked Mucky Pup's license in February 2020, while a full investigation into the abuse allegations was carried out by the RSPCA.Burnley Magistrates Court previously heard how the day care business for pets was run by Lauren and she employed her father to work at the centre.

But a complaint was made to the animal welfare charity on December 24, 2019 by a former employee who had taken video footage of dogs at the centre being hit and smacked by John Walker.The videos emerged on social media and were subsequently shared.John Walker pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to protected animals, namely seven dogs, by the inappropriate use of physical force, between September 10 2019 and November 19 2019 and failing to take reasonable steps to ensure the needs of the animals were met between August 1 2019 and December 18 2019.Lauren Walker, pleaded guilty to failing to take reasonable steps to prevent unnecessary suffering by her father John Walker to protected animals.RSPCA Inspector Adam Dickinson, who led the investigation, told