Shropshire Kennel Club judge banned from keeping horses

Former Crufts category winner Sylvia Pope was hit with the lifetime ban by Shrewsbury magistrates in November last year after admitting allowing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

Mrs Pope, who is 63, was also made the subject of a curfew order.

However, the Kennel Club has confirmed that Mrs Pope, of Wistanswick, near Market Drayton, is still registered as a Pomeranian judge.

The club also confirmed that Mrs Pope had entered dogs at this year's Crufts, although she did not win any awards.

When contacted by the Shropshire Star, Mrs Pope said she had been punished for her crime and should be allowed to move on.

She said: "I have been to court and paid my dues, and you are adding to a witch-hunt that has been started by somebody who has got nothing else to do with their life."

A Kennel Club spokesman said: "Whilst we are unable to comment on individual cases until an outcome has been reached, the Kennel Club does have disciplinary procedures in place to deal with anyone associated with the organisation who is convicted for animal cruelty under the Animal Welfare Act."

Mrs Pope, who had in the past won first prize for the Best Bitch category at Crufts, appeared in the dock with her husband Edwin, 65, last year.

The couple admit five charges each of breaching the animal welfare act.

Mr Pope was issued with a community order requiring him to do 60 hours unpaid work.

They were each fined £500, and ordered to pay a £60 victim surcharge.

The court was told that one of the animals owned by the Popes had developed a painful and potentially crippling disease called laminitis and was unable to move.

Five people were needed to carry the animal out a field in north Shropshire, the RSPCA said.

Inspector Nayman Dunderdale from the RSPCA said: "This was a very upsetting case.

"One of the horses simply couldn't move and had to be carried from the field by five people.

"Unfortunately the horses hadn't been checked every day.

"They had been left to grow overweight and were suffering with laminitis."

A spokesman for animal charity Blue Cross For Pets said in order to prevent laminitis horse owners should monitor their horses' diets carefully.

Also they recommend a farrier attends to a horse's feet every four to five weeks, depending on the horse.

Both Mr and Mrs Pope also admitted failing to provide routine farriery attention and hoof trimming to all the horses, failing to limit the horses' food, leading to obesity, and failing to adequately inspect them on a daily basis. All offences took place between February and May 2014 and involved four Shetlands and a cob mare.