Fifty-two dogs and exotic animals found in filthy conditions in Milford Haven
A couple have been jailed after 52 animals were found in a Milford Haven home in a filthy and poor environment - with some of the animals found in a suffering state
A couple have been jailed after 52 animals were found in a Milford Haven home in a filthy and poor environment - with some of the animals found in a suffering state.
Dyfed Powys Police, the RSPCA and two vets attended the property on 29 December 2024 where 29 dogs, 17 snakes, one Hermanns tortoise, a leopard gecko and a monitor lizard were found in appalling conditions and taken into possession by police.
A dead snake found and two dead dogs were also found:
The two dead dogs were found to have suffered unnecessarily, with many of the snakes suffering along with some of the dogs found. Inside the house RSPCA rescuers described the animals living in “filthy conditions".
Zoe Louise Graham (d.o.b 11/05/1992) and Lee Peter Lock (d.o.b 20/12/1987), both of Coombs Road, Milford Haven, appeared at Swansea Crown Court for sentencing.
Graham was jailed for 18 months and was disqualified from keeping animals for 15 years and Lock was jailed for 27 months and was disqualified from keeping animals for 25 years.
Graham had pleaded guilty to 14 offences under the Animal Welfare Act and Lock pleaded guilty to 12 offences under the Animal Welfare Act on 3 October 2025.
Twelve of the offences were joint offences with the seven of these relating to causing suffering to six different French Bulldogs.
One of these offences was that they caused unnecessary suffering to a bulldog type dog by failing to provide veterinary treatment for the dog’s ruptured rectum.
Three of the joint offences related to three snakes that they caused unnecessary suffering and in addition they failed to meet the needs of 21 adult dogs, eight puppies and 18 snakes and other exotic animals.
The two additional offences for Graham were that she failed to meet the needs of a Hermanns tortoise and leopard gecko.
In a written statement, RSPCA Inspector Keith Hogben said when he entered the property in December 2024 he was “hit by a strong smell of dog faeces and urine” he soon was greeted by several French Bulldog type dogs.
Inspector Hogben: “Along with the dogs inside the front living room were a number of vivariums which held many snakes of the constrictor type"
“Conditions in the vivariums looked poor, all had soiled substrate, dirty water in filthy bowls, no hiding places and no enrichment in the vivariums."
In total 17 live snakes, one tortoise, one gecko, one monitor lizard were taken into possession by police and were handed into the care of the RSPCA. One snake was found to be dead and three snakes would need to be euthanised on welfare grounds. Three more snakes later died along with the gecko.
One dog was transferred to another charity for ongoing care and another dog - an XL Bully - was euthanised due to legislation. The exotics were rehomed by a specialist exotics centre.
All the other dogs received the treatment and care they needed from the RSPCA with all but four dogs signed over into the care of the charity being happily rehomed. These four dogs during the court proceedings have been signed over to the RSPCA and will now be rehomed.