All but one of 80 springer spaniels found starving in 'squalid conditions' have now found new homes - as a children's social worker faces time behind bars after being convicted of animal cruelty.
asserted
worker → find → cruelty
David Parkes, 61, denied owning or having responsibility for the animals, but was found guilty of three animal welfare offences following a two-day trial at Barnsley Magistrates' Court, last Wednesday.
asserted
Parkes → deny → Court
Inspectors found 80 springer spaniels and four patterdale terriers in the Tickhill home, near Doncaster, South Yorkshire, covered in their own filth, crowded together on a rotting staircase thick with dirt and grime, last April.
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Inspectors → find → dirt
A video shows the emaciated dogs barking and shaking as members of the RSPCA and South Yorkshire Police arrived to rescue them from the house.
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members → show → house
While sadly one of the dogs had to be put down, all the other pets have now found loving new homes across the country.
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pets → have → country
Among them is Cloud, who was adopted 18 months ago by Morgan Bulman and Luke Shepherd from the RSPCA branch in Hull, East Yorkshire.
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who → adopt → Hull
Describing Cloud as one of the 'craziest' ones at the centre, Morgan, 22, told The Hull Daily Mail this week: 'She still had mats in her fur, she was yellow, she wanted to play but she was a bit hesitant.'
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she → describe → fur
After adopting her, Morgan said she watched a video shared online of the dogs following Parkes' sentencing hearing and was 'sure' she could see Cloud.
uncertain
she → adopt → Cloud
All but one of 80 springer spaniels found starving in 'squalid conditions' have now found new homes - as a children's social worker David Parkes faces time behind bars for animal cruelty
A video from inside the South Yorkshire house shows the dogs barking and shaking as members of the RSPCA and South Yorkshire Police arrived to rescue them
'
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members → find → them
I was laying in bed when I saw it and I just brought her in for a big cuddle, thinking how could she go from that to how she is now,' said Morgan.
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Morgan → lay → that
But Cloud has proven resilient and put her tragic past behind her.
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Cloud → prove → her
She is said to enjoy playing with her ball and interacting with people.
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She → say → people
Morgan added: 'She loves people so much, loves them more than other dogs, which is weird when she was living with 80 plus of them.'
One of the youngest dogs, Polly, was taken in by Lisa Marchant, of Hull, in East Yorkshire.
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One → add → Yorkshire
She said: 'I would describe Polly as high on life, everything is wonderful to her.
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everything → say → her
She's brilliant with my children, our cat, Joy, and everyone who meets her.'
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who → meet → her
Keira Kirkup, of Chester-le-Street, County Durham, adopted Fifi.
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Kirkup → adopt → Fifi
She joked: 'She still has anxious moments and isn't keen on certain things, like saucepans being brought out of a cupboard.
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saucepans → joke → cupboard
'She'll also try and eat any bits of rubbish she sees lying on the floor.'
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she → try → floor
Joanna Baldwin, of Southport, Merseyside, has given a home to Darcy and said: 'She's come so far.
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She → give → Darcy
Seventy-nine of the 80 spaniels have since been rehomed.
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nine → rehome → spaniels
Pictured: Keira Kirkup who has adopted one of the dogs called Fifi
Pictured: Phoenix who has been adopted by Sally and Andy Taylor and their daughter Libby
Lisa Marchant of Hull, East Yorkshire with her adopted spaniel, Polly
Joanna Baldwin, of Southport, Merseyside, with her rescued spaniel, Darcy
Sally and Andy Taylor with their daughter Libby, who have adopted Phoenix
Becky Carr and her partner Jake with their adopted spaniel, Marnie
The dogs have been rehomed across Yorkshire, Greater Manchester and the Midlands.
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dogs → picture → Yorkshire
Others include Sprite, who was adopted by Sue and Jason Kairies, in Lichfield, Staffordshire and Mac, who is now in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire living with a couple called Georgia and Ben.
Patterdale terrier Pepsi has been adopted by Harriet Lythell and her partner Marshall in Worksop, Nottinghamshire.
In September last year, the Daily Mail reported four of the dogs had begun an exciting new career working with the tactical dog unit at Greater Manchester Police.
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four → include → Police
Bruce, Pablo, Lola and Nellie will now undertake training to become sniffer dogs helping the force during drug busts among other serious crimes.
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Bruce → undertake → crimes
Speaking about the new recruits, officer Wes Donnelly from the GMP tactical dog unit said: 'We're giving them the best life possible.
'
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We → speak → life
These dogs have gone from being neglected to having a real purpose.
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dogs → go → purpose
Providing their training goes well they'll soon be helping us detect drugs, cash and other items that support investigations.
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that → provide → investigations
Greater Manchester Police have taken on the spaniels as a part of a major expansion of their tactical dog unit.
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Police → take → unit
The unit now operates 24/7 and, according to the force, has overseen a dramatic rise in the number of arrests.
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unit → operate → arrests
Parkes, who has no previous convictions, told Barnsley Magistrates' Court last week that the dogs were primarily 'therapy animals' for his son who has autism.
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who → have → autism
His wife Delphine, 60, and son Sam, 28, who lived in the same house, admitted similar charges in January.
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who → live → January
The court heard that 80 springer spaniel-type dogs, two adult patterdale terriers, two patterdale terrier puppies and two cats were rescued from the house last year.
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dogs → hear → house
Parkes, who has no previous convictions, told the court that the dogs were primarily 'therapy animals' for his son Sam who has autism.
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who → have → autism
He also admitted all 80 of the dogs were family pets
He blamed his heavy workload on his failure to do more to protect the animals, which he admitted were family pets.
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he → admit → animals
Parkes said: 'Typically speaking, I worked all the way through the night...
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I → say → night
My commitment was to work.
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commitment → work → ?
It should have been home that I prioritised.'
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I → prioritise → that
While Delphine, who is registered disabled, admitted to an inspector 'things had got out of control since Covid'.
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things → register → Covid
Philip Brown, prosecuting, told the court that the home was 'heavily contaminated' with urine and faeces and that the family was 'completely out of its depth'.
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family → prosecute → depth
He accused Parkes of 'burying his head in the sand' over the problem and seeking to distance himself from accountability through fear of losing his job.
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He → accuse → job
All three defendants will be sentenced on December 9 at Doncaster Magistrates' Court.
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defendants → sentence → Court
…and 1 more, not listed.
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