In response to a complaint that pet animals were being illegally sold at the Usk Horse Market, APA investigators paid a visit and were shocked at their findings...
Half of a field was given over to the sale of horses. The other half of the event fitted the description of an animal car boot sale with a range of pets on offer, including dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs and exotic birds.
Some of the animals were clearly suffering in the abysmal conditions they were housed in. Litters of puppies were crammed into cages - the majority were unvaccinated and some appeared too young to be properly weaned. Two children walked around the event carrying a litter of puppies in a basket, offering them for sale at £100 each
Based on claims made by traders that they had a ready supply of puppies and that they attended similar events in England and Wales to sell the animals (some had travelled from as far as Warwickshire and Oxfordshire) - our investigators concluded that they were commercial traders.
The matter is under investigation by Monmouthshire County Council.
