Posted on: Friday 19 June 2026
A woman from Pontypool has been convicted of animal welfare offences and illegal dog breeding.
Today at Cardiff Crown Court, Lynda Cooper was sentenced to a 12-month custodial sentence, which was suspended for two years with conditions, after she pleaded guilty to 11 animal welfare offences and breeding dogs without a licence. These offences included causing unnecessary suffering and failing to meet the welfare needs of animals.
She was also ordered to pay £10,000 towards council costs plus a surcharge of £187, and disqualified from keeping dogs for 10 years.
The court heard that Miss Cooper had been licensed to breed dogs between 2022 and 2023 but did not renew her licence.
In July 2024, the council’s Licensing Team received a complaint about the welfare of dogs and suspected illegal breeding at Miss Cooper’s address. This prompted a referral to the RSPCA.
When RSPCA officers attended the property, they were denied entry and unable to fully investigate the allegations. This raised further concerns about the welfare of the animals.
In August 2024, officers from the council’s Licensing and Trading Standards teams, the Animal Licensing Wales team and a veterinarian visited Miss Cooper’s property after securing a warrant of entry from the Magistrates’ Court.
During the visit, officers discovered 41 dogs and two litters of puppies. The veterinary assessment concluded the puppies were suffering from malnutrition, with several dogs affected by additional medical conditions. They were also found to be living in unsuitable conditions, which further compromised their welfare. The dogs and puppies were removed from the property and given the medical care and attention they required.
In October 2024, following a hearing at Cwmbran Magistrates’ Court, the council was granted permission to take possession of the dogs and puppies and they have since been rehomed through Hope Rescue.
Daniel Morelli, Head of Public Protection and Environment, said: “This case highlights the value of the dog breeding licensing regime and the important, and often unseen, work of local authority Public Protection services in protecting animal health and welfare.
“Miss Cooper failed to meet the standards required by law, resulting in significant and unnecessary suffering to a considerable number of animals.
“We will not hesitate to take action in cases where animal welfare is neglected, and we would like to thank our partner agencies and Hope Rescue for the important role they played in the investigation and the subsequent care and protection of the affected dogs and puppies.”
Zoe Phillips, Animal Licensing Wales, said: “Torfaen Council authorised ALW officers to assist with the investigation due to the scale and complexity of the concerns identified in this case, and the outcome clearly shows the value of partnership working.
"Local authorities can be faced with complex and resource‑intensive animal welfare cases, and the ALW ensures they are not dealing with these situations in isolation.
"Although the conditions encountered by the officers attending were extremely difficult, the focus throughout was on protecting the welfare of the animals and ensuring a safe, lawful and proportionate response.
"We are also grateful to Hope Rescue for providing immediate care, ongoing support and responsible rehoming for all of the dogs."
Sara Rosser, Head of Operations at Hope Rescue, said: "'This was one of the most challenging and distressing cases our experienced team have been involved in. Not only from the sheer number of dogs but also their condition.
"On arrival with us the dogs were in a devastating state - severely underweight, many suffering from advanced dental disease and chronic ear infections.
"Older dogs had lost muscle mass and mobility, and were so physically depleted they were unable to reach food before the younger dogs. Many, especially the younger dogs, were very nervous and lacking in life experience so required additional support and rehabilitation."
Anyone with concerns about the welfare of animals is urged to contact animal.health@torfaen.gov.uk.