Woman who caged dogs and kept cats in faeces-ridden Torquay flat gets ten-year animal ban

A woman who kept her eight cats and five dogs in shocking conditions in a Torquay flat has been banned from keeping animals for ten years.

Tanaya Jade Robins, 26, of Warren Hill, Torquay, was found guilty of an animal welfare offence, following an investigation and prosecution by the RSPCA.

Rescuers from the animal welfare charity were called to an address in Temperance Street, Torquay, on March 23 last year after reports a dog had killed another within the property.

Inside they found dogs in cages and cats in rooms covered in faeces. There was no food for the animals within the property.

RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer Stephen Findlow, who was joined by colleagues and police at the address, described the scene in his statement.

He said: “Before entering the door, there was a strong smell of ammonia, urine and faeces. I could hear loud distressed barking by multiple dogs. Robins entered the room first and put the Belgian Malinois into a cage. I entered the room where I was hit with the strong ammonia smell. I saw cats running into hiding spaces.

“In the room I saw piles of fresh faeces littered across the whole floor with some trodden into the carpet. In addition, I saw old faeces piled on the floor which consisted of fluffy looking mould. To the right of the door consisted of litter trays overflowing with faeces onto the floor, with old and fresh fecal matter covering the carpet. 

“I saw a distressed cat attempting to hide on the scratch post, which appeared to be the only clean area in the property. There was a single bed which was cluttered around it with additional faces and household rubbish on the floor. The Belgian Malinois was distressed next to the bed in a crate.

“I was then led up another set of stairs where there were two Huskies barricaded in a large room. Both dogs were very distressed and barking. In the large room, there was faeces scattered on the floor. There was also another room where an XL Bully was locked in.”

Police seized the animals and placed them into the care of the RSPCA. A total of five dogs and eight cats were rescued from the property.

In mitigation, it was said Robins was struggling with mental health issues and that the dogs have been her support.

Alongside the ten year disqualification from owning animals, which she can not appeal for seven years, she was ordered to pay £600 when she was sentenced at Plymouth Magistrates Court. She had been found guilty in her absence at an earlier hearing.

The full offence she faced was: 

Full details of offence:

That between 8th February 2024 and 23rd March 2024 in the vicinity of Temperance Street, Torquay, Devon you did fail to take such steps as were reasonable in all the circumstances to ensure that the needs of animals, for which you were responsible, namely eight cats and five dogs identified as a Husky type Lunar, a husky type named Nanuck, a husky type named Mischa, a malinois shepherd type named Enza, and a bull breed type named Azoura, were met to the extent required by good practice in that you failed to meet one or a combination of the following welfare needs:-

• Their need for a suitable living environment

• Their need for continuous access to an adequate supply of clean fresh drinking water. 

• Their need to be able to exhibit normal behaviour patterns

• Their need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury or disease 

• Any need they had to be housed with or apart from other animals. 

              Contrary to Section 9 (1) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

RSPCA Beccy Wadey, who investigated the animal welfare offence for the charity, said: “Animals are reliant on their owners to provide a safe and suitable living environment for them. They deserve to be shown respect and kindness and have their needs met. Sadly these animals were neglected without the care they needed or deserved.”