Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court (Image: Mark Harvey / Alamy)
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An unemployed woman who brushed aside repeated warnings from authorities and continued breeding Dalmatians without a licence has been fined £250 – even though her puppies were being advertised for up to £2,500 each.
Sara Richards, 35, of Werfa Lane in Abernant, ran her breeding business Hafwenna Dalmatians from her home at Coed Cae Farm in Aberdare. Between 2021 and 2025 she bred Dalmatians regularly, producing 88 puppies across three litters.
The investigation
Both Rhondda Cynon Taf council and the RSPCA received reports about Richards’ operation, with concerns raised that Hafwenna Dalmatians held no registration or licence to breed dogs commercially. On 25 November, council officers visited the farm and found two litters on site – a total of 11 adult dogs and 23 puppies.
The evidence
Prosecutor Elin Morgan told Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court that Richards had placed eight advertisements presenting herself as a breeder, with puppies listed at prices ranging from £950 to £2,500. She had also registered 11 separate litters with the Kennel Club, each containing between five and 13 puppies.
Licence refused
Richards eventually submitted an application for a dog-breeding licence, prompting a joint inspection by veterinary experts and council officers. The property was judged unsuitable due to its condition and capacity, and the application was rejected. She was invited to attend an interview on three separate occasions but failed to appear each time.
In court
Richards pleaded guilty to three offences under section 13 of the Animal Welfare Act at a sentencing hearing on Wednesday. The court was told she has no previous convictions.
Defending, Kirsten Murphy said her client lived alone and her dog is “everything to her”. She told the court Richards owns 15 Dalmatians who are “very well cared for” and have competed and won events at Crufts. The barrister added that Richards suffers from a number of health conditions, including a wrist injury caused by a rare form of arthritis which has left her unable to work and reliant on her father for financial support.
Sentencing
Judge Christopher Felstead told the defendant: “I am satisfied you ignored [the authorities] and went on breeding knowing you did not have the requirements of a licence.”
Richards was fined a total of £250.
