A Birmingham women has been disqualified from keeping a pet shop for two years. On July 6, at Birmingham Magistrates Court, Jadwiga Ewa Grum, 37, admitting to selling animals from her Erdington home without a license.
Grum pleaded guilty to one offence under the Pet Animals Act 1951, keeping the premises as a pet shop without a licence. She received a 12-month conditional discharge. Grum was ordered to pay £500 towards costs plus a £15 victim surcharge.
Birmingham City Council brought the case against Grum. An investigation followed a complaint made to its animal welfare team by Surrey Trading Standards after a couple bought a German shepherd puppy from Grum.
The puppy, which had been advertised on the Pets4Home website, was seized and quarantined after it was found to be imported at too young an age.
Officers visited Grum’s home on September 25 2015. Four puppies were found in the garden and another four were in a van belonging to Grum’s partner.
Officers considered it evident that puppies found on the Johnson Road premises had been imported from Poland. Grum maintained that she was not selling the puppies over the internet.
Less than a week later, officers discovered Grum’s advert was still on the Pets4Homes website with the same contact details.
Posing as customers, two officers visited Grum’s home in Johnson Road to see the puppies on October 1, 2015. When they asked to see the pedigree certificates, these could not be produced. On 3 November 2015, Grum was interviewed under caution, but continued to deny any trading activity.
Councillor Barbara Dring, chair of the city council’s Licensing and Public Protection Committee, said: “This case highlights why it is vital for people to check where they are buying pets from, that the sellers are licensed and can provide all the relevant paperwork, including pedigree certificates. The importation and sale of puppies and dogs is a particular cause for concern and buyers must take additional care.
“Anyone who is in the business of trading and selling animals as pets must have a licence under the Pet Animals Act 1951 – no such licence had been issued to Grum’s premises in Johnson Road, Erdington.”
