Scam family made £300k from illegal puppy farm and treated pets as 'commodities'
A family of scammers stole, bred and imported dogs "like commodities with no care for their health or welfare", making hundreds of thousands of pounds in the process.
The McDonagh clan used dozens of fake emails, addresses and names as they tricked people into thinking they were buying healthy pups from a family home. Instead, many of the dogs were living in atrocious conditions and required vet treatment after they were purchased, with a number being diagnosed with pneumonia.
It is estimated that between January 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021, a total of £532,300 worth of dogs were advertised for sale online. Swansea Crown Court heard 20 victims of the scam gave statements to the RSPCA during their investigation, with the McDonaghs paid more than £30,000 for what buyers believed were socialised and healthy pups from a family home, Belfast Live reports.
The investigation revolved around the activities of five couples – John Paul McDonagh and his wife Mary Louise McDonagh; Francie Gabriel McDonagh and his wife Angela Christina McDonagh; Patrick Christopher McDonagh and his wife Mary Christina McDonagh; Eddie McDonagh and his wife Mary Christina McDonagh; and husband and wife Martin McDonagh and Rosaleen Marie McDonagh and their son Patrick Christopher McDonagh Jnr.
Many of the dogs were living in atrocious conditions and required vet treatment after they were purchased (MEDIA WALES)Hazel Stephens, prosecuting on behalf of the RSPCA, told the court that the investigation started thanks to an observant vet who became suspicious that a man had taken three litters of puppies into the surgery using the same phone number but calling himself by different names. Facebook adverts and messages, phone records, financial transactions, and details of dogs' microchips and vets records were all analysed by the RSPCA as part of the investigation.
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The analysis proved the McDonagh family were involved in the breeding, cross-border transportation, and sale of puppies and dogs on a large and very profitable scale. The investigation, dubbed Operation Earth, showed the McDonaghs were advertising pups for sale on four of the main puppy selling sites – FreeAds, Pets4Homes, Preloved, and Gumtree.
The adverts were worded to make it appear that the dogs were from home-bred litters and were socialised and healthy puppies. However, Ms Stephens said veterinary records acquired by the RSPCA "demonstrates the ill-health and frequent breeding of a number of dogs".
Patrick McDonagh from Newport was jailed for his part in a puppy selling scam (MEDIA WALES)
Martin McDonagh from Newport was jailed for his part in a puppy selling scam (MEDIA WALES)Some of the dogs were found to have microchips from Poland, Hungary, Belgium, the Czech Republic and Ireland and in some cases they had been taken to vets in the UK to make them look like dogs from Britain before then being mixed with other puppies from different origins – thereby further increasing the risks to their welfare. The investigation also showed that as well as many puppies having been imported, some were being bred on a travellers' site in Newport, Wales and other dogs were stolen.
Ms Stephens said analysis of Facebook adverts and messages and of phone records showed the defendants had used 41 different residential addresses, 47 mobile phone numbers, and 39 email addresses during the puppy-selling scam. The prosecutor said there were two sets of victims in the case – the puppies themselves and also the purchasers who suffered "considerable expense and considerable emotional upset through the illness and in some cases death of the puppy". She said the defendants "exploited the emotional vulnerability of potential purchasers, some of whom had small children excited about their new member of their family".
Eddie McDonagh from Newport was jailed for his part in a puppy selling scam (MEDIA WALES)
John McDonagh from Newport was jailed for his part in a puppy selling scam (MEDIA WALES)Some of the bank accounts belonging to the defendants were analysed and "multiple deposits of large quantities of cash" were identified as well as multiple income transactions from "third parties". The court heard Patrick McDonagh Snr had 10 bank accounts and saw payments into his accounts totalling more than £120,000 a year while receiving a legitimate income from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and child tax credits accounts of approximately £16,500 per annum.
Francie McDonagh had a turnover in his bank account of £96,800 between December 12, 2019, and August 12, 2021, with cash deposits of in excess of £8,600 and third-party transfers of more than £76,000. John Paul McDonagh had income from the DWP accounting for £18,310 of a total turnover of £63,122 with more than £14,000 directly referenced to "dogs".
Martin Joseph McDonagh, 42, Francie Gabriel McDonagh, 35, Patrick Christopher McDonagh, 22, , John Paul McDonagh, 33, Patrick Christopher McDonagh Snr, and Eddie McDonagh, 28, all of Newport, had all previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation and to failing to meet the needs of puppies in the their care under Animal Welfare Act 2006 when they appeared in the dock for sentencing.
Rosaleen Marie McDonagh, 42, Angela Christina McDonagh, 34, Mary Louise McDonagh, 31, Mary Christina McDonagh Snr, 43, and Mary Christina McDonagh Jnr 24, all of Newport, had all previously pleaded guilty to failing to meet the needs of puppies in their care under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
Patrick Christopher McDonagh from Newport was jailed for his part in a puppy selling scam (MEDIA WALES)
Some of the dogs were found to have microchips from Poland, Hungary, Belgium, the Czech Republic and Ireland (MEDIA WALES)Judge Geraint Walters issued the following sentences; Martin Joseph McDonagh was sentenced to three and a half years in prison, Patrick Christopher McDonagh Snr was sentenced to three and a half years in prison, Francie Gabriel McDonagh was sentenced to three years and two months in prison, John Paul McDonagh was sentenced to three years in prison, Eddie McDonagh was sentenced to 20 months in prison and Patrick Christopher McDonagh was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Each have been banned from keeping dogs for the next 15 years.
Rosaleen Marie McDonagh, Angela Christina McDonagh, Mary Louise McDonagh, Mary Christina McDonagh Snr, and Mary Christina McDonagh Jnr were each made the subject of a 12-month community order and were ordered to complete rehabilitation courses. Mary Christina McDonagh was also ordered to do 180 hours of unpaid work, Mary Louise McDonagh was ordered to do 160 hours of unpaid work and Rosaleen Marie McDonagh was fined £200. Angela Christina McDonagh was also fined £200 while Mary Christina McDonagh Snr was fined £500. The female defendants were each also banned from keeping dogs for 10 years.
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Following the sentencing RSPCA Inspector Kirsty Withnall, said: "We’d very much like to thank all those who helped us bring this case to court, from Gwent Police, veterinary practices, witnesses, Newport Council trading standards and The Animal and Plant Health Agency. The heart-breaking reality of puppy farming is that the welfare of the puppies comes second to making money.
"The sums of money involved are just eye-watering; and it's another reminder of how unscrupulous this trade can be; and how dangerous poor breeding and trading practices are for dogs, pups and unsuspecting consumers.
"For anyone looking to buy a puppy, rather than adopt - we urge them to do their research, know the signs of an unscrupulous breeder and use tools such as the Puppy Contract to avoid becoming another victim of the puppy trade."
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