A WOMAN from Kingswinford has been fined after pleading guilty to animal welfare offences.

Stacey Skeet of Blaze Park was fined a total of £720 and disqualified from dealing dogs for three years.

She was also ordered to pay a contribution of £500 towards investigation costs.

Skeet appeared before Dudley Magistrates’ Court on May 12 to answer offences under the Animal Welfare Regulations 2018 and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.

Between December 2 and December 7 last year the 41-year-old bred and sold dogs without a licence.

She also created the impression that she could lawfully sell dogs when she could not.

The proceedings were brought by Animal Protection Services, a registered charity that investigates and prosecutes organised animal cruelty.

The prosecution followed intelligence-led investigations into the unlicensed sale of puppies in the West Midlands area.

It is understood that the Kingswinford woman advertised a litter of Chocolate Labrador puppies that she claimed later died and advertised a litter of Cocker Spaniel puppies for friends.

A spokesperson on behalf of Animal Protection Services said: “Trading of puppies without a licence is not acceptable. The undermining of the statutory licensing regime is a risk to animal welfare and consumer protection.”

“The illegal puppy trade has become a low risk, high reward trade and we are determined to ensure that opportunists and organised criminals are brought before the courts to face justice.”