Couple jailed after fifty-two dogs and exotic animals were found in filthy conditions

A couple have been jailed after dozens of dogs and exotic animals were discovered living in filthy conditions, with some found to have suffered unnecessarily and others already dead.

Zoe Louise Graham, 33, and Lee Peter Lock, 38, both of Coombs Road, Milford Haven, were sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on Friday 16 January following a large-scale animal welfare investigation.

Graham was jailed for 18 months and disqualified from keeping animals for 15 years, while Lock received a 27-month prison sentence and a 25-year ban on keeping animals.

The case came to light on 29 December 2024, when officers from Dyfed-Powys Police attended the property alongside RSPCA inspectors and two veterinary surgeons.

Inside the house, authorities found 29 dogs, 17 snakes, a Hermann’s tortoise, a leopard gecko and a monitor lizard. A dead snake and the bodies of two dogs were also discovered.

Inspectors described “overpowering” smells of dog faeces and urine throughout the property, with animals living in cramped, dirty and unsuitable conditions.

Many of the dogs and snakes were found to be suffering, while the two dead dogs were later confirmed by a veterinary pathologist to have endured unnecessary pain before death.

Graham pleaded guilty to 14 offences under the Animal Welfare Act, while Lock admitted 12 offences.

Twelve of the charges were joint, including seven counts relating to unnecessary suffering caused to six French bulldogs. One offence involved failing to provide veterinary treatment for a bulldog-type dog with a ruptured rectum.

Suffering

Further charges related to the suffering of three snakes and the failure to meet the welfare needs of 21 adult dogs, eight puppies and 18 snakes, as well as other exotic animals. Graham also admitted failing to meet the needs of the tortoise and gecko.

In a written statement, RSPCA Inspector Keith Hogben said he was immediately struck by the conditions when he entered the house. Floors were wet and contaminated with faeces, cages were heavily soiled, and puppies were found among household rubbish. Several dogs were underweight, with ribs, hips and spines clearly visible.

In the living room, inspectors found multiple vivariums housing snakes with dirty water, soiled substrate and no enrichment. Some snakes were visibly thin.

A tortoise and gecko were discovered sharing a vivarium without water or stimulation, while a monitor lizard was kept in a stacked plastic tray system.

Outside, two collie-type dogs were found in a yard covered in mud and faeces, with no clean resting area. One was lying on a pile of dry dog food by the back door, described as the only dry spot available.

Euthanised

Seventeen live snakes and the remaining exotic animals were taken into police possession and placed in the care of the RSPCA. Several snakes later had to be euthanised on welfare grounds, while others died despite intervention. Most of the dogs have since been treated and rehomed, with the remaining four now also signed over to the charity.

Following sentencing, Keith Hogben, said: “I would like to thank everyone involved in this complex case, from my dedicated colleagues, Dyfed Powys Police, the vets, the exotics centre and a charity partner. It was a real team effort, and although not all the animals survived – it is great to see those who have been rehomed into loving homes.”

Dyfed Powys Police Sergeant Paul Roberts, Rural Crime Team added: “This investigation demonstrates an excellent example of partnership working to target some of the most upsetting animal welfare offences.”

The court heard mitigation that the situation became unmanageable and that there was no original intent to cause suffering. However, the judge concluded that the scale and severity of neglect warranted immediate custodial sentences.