Two young women have admitted neglecting more than 120 animals while locked down on farmland in County Durham.
Horrified animal lovers said dead animals were found in plastic bags while the vast majority did not appear to have food and water.
Rio-Anne Katie Jane Dickinson and Hannah Olivia Wilkinson, who were in a relationship at the time, were leasing farm land at Bog Hall Farm, and trying to make money from selling animals without a licence.
Teesside Magistrates’ Court heard how the pair, both 20, kept a vast array of different species on the farm in Mordon, near Sedgefield, while people buying animals found that they were covered in lice.
The pair were accused of a string of animal welfare issues and admitted five counts of unnecessary suffering on Tuesday – with the court told that some of the creatures had to be put down as a result of the grim conditions they were kept in.
The court heard how the pair sold animals on to others and operated without a licence or vet support last year.
Alex Bousfield, prosecuting, said the operator of the farm, who leased it to the defendants, carried out three spot checks over a two week period in July 2020, before contacting the RSPCA.
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Mr Bousfield said there were lots of dead animals in plastic bags to be burnt, despite it being illegal to dispose of them this way.
The prosecutor said there was also concerns raised about the number of dead birds and the fact there were dogs on the farm which appeared to have been fed some of the birds.
He said: ‘Having seen what was going on the operator realised enough was enough and called in the RSPCA and on attendance five birds were found to be walking around over the bodies of dead birds.’
Mr Bousfield told the court that when the RSPCA attended only two guinea pigs where found to have food and water and there was no registration for the animals involved.
He said the defendants were selling quails in pairs but had been left with too many males.
Mr Bousfield added: ‘They were in pens and they were also starving.
‘They were aggressive to each other.’
The prosecutor claimed that one of the quails bit a hamster’s eye out and the small pet died after Dickinson and Wilkinson failed to get it treatment.
Mr Bousfield continued: ‘The vast majority were in a poor state.
‘Many of the animals were emaciated.
‘Some of the animals needed to be euthanized.’
Police attended the farm and the suffering animals were signed over to the RSPCA.
Mr Bousfield said it was difficult to know how many animals they had at the farm, but Dickinson said in interview that in one week she had sold 500 birds.
The court heard how the RSPCA had already previously spoken to Dickenson, while Wilkinson was in attendance, about their chickens as they were found to be managing more than they were capable of.
Dickinson and Wilkinson, both from, Ferryhill, County Durham, previously denied all of the offences they were charged with.
However on Tuesday morning – the day of their trial – both defendants pleaded guilty.
The charges relate to 52 red ex battery hens, 19 various type chickens, 10 quail, one guinea fowl, a red ex battery hen, a pale brown and white juvenile duck and a white Bantam hen.
They also admitted a sixth charge of not taking steps that were reasonable in all the circumstances to ensure that the needs of an animal for which they were responsible.
These included one rabbit, four guinea pigs, two hamsters, two sheep, one goat, 15 ducks, two budgerigars and one guinea foul.
The court heard how Dickinson has a previous conviction from October last year for selling counterfeit items on social media and was handed a £768 fine.
Kayleigh Giddons, defending Dickinson, told the court that there was only a small number of the animals – nine out of 120 – which had died.
She said that her client suffered from mental health issues and was in hospital at the time when the farm was left unattended for 48 hours.
Ashleigh Leach, defending Wilkinson, claimed Dickinson was ‘in control’, which Ms Giddons disputed.
Deputy District Judge Mark Daley told the pair: ‘It’s clear that you were in business together trying to make money.
‘You caused a considerable amount of suffering to a large number of animals, some of which died. The photos of the state of animals I have seen are something not pleasant to look at at all.’
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 21.
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