Shocking pictures show neglect by ex-Wyre Forest Trust boss

Former Wyre Forest animal sanctuary boss Graham Stephens, of Broad Street, Bromyard, has been jailed for eight months and banned from keeping animals for life after pleading guilty to eight offences under the Animal Welfare Act.

Shocking pictures show the appalling conditions animals lived in at Little Meadow Animal Rescue, which Stephens was the owner of.

Herefordshire animal sanctuary boss banned from keeping animals for life (Image: NQ)The 63-year-old's sentence comes after 44 animals were found at Little Meadow Animal Rescue at Stoke Bliss, near Tenbury Wells.

Around 35 were held in one room in a static caravan after a warrant was executed at the property by West Mercia Police in March 2022 due to repeated reports of animal neglect.

Little Meadow Animal Rescue was initially set up in 2010 and looked after various animals.

Donkeys were found in a muddy paddock with overgrown feet. (Image: RSPCA)This month's appeal hearing at Hereford Crown Court found he had caused unnecessary suffering by failing to provide appropriate farriery, dental treatment, or address a heavy lice infestation on three donkeys.

He had also failed to provide appropriate farriery, treatment for a bacterial infection, and a heavy lice infestation for a fourth donkey.

The animals were kept in a caravan caked with faeces. (Image: RSPCA)It was also found he caused unnecessary suffering to a Chinese crested dog after failing to provide veterinary treatment for an eye condition and dental disease.

Included in these accounts were keeping two rabbits and a guinea pig in a faeces-covered cage of insufficient size, keeping four tawny owls and a little owl in filthy cages that were too small and too close to dogs, and confining a squirrel in a dirty cage that was too small and too close to dogs.

In a statement to the court, RSPCA acting chief inspector Thea Kerrison and inspector Suzi Smith said the seven donkeys and two alpacas found at the site had little to no grazing and were eating dirty, wet straw, which had been laid as a dry base to stand on.

Owls were found in faeces-caked cages in a static caravan (Image: RSPCA)

It added that broken barbed wire fencing, scrap metal, and "many hazards" were found in the area.

Inspector Smith said, "you could smell the stench, ammonia, and faeces" as soon as they opened the door to the static caravan, where they found faeces caked on the floor, dogs both loose and in cages, some stacked on top of each other, caged rabbits, a budgie, a squirrel, and owls with feathers "caked in faeces".

Two owls were put down after a veterinary assessment. At the same time, the squirrel was also put to sleep as grey squirrels cannot be released back into the wild under invasive species legislation.

After being rescued from the registered charity's site, the remaining animals have been rehomed or housed.