Dog breeders who left a German Shepherd to die after she was struggling to give birth have been banned from keeping animals for 20 years.

Grzegoraz Syovester Zareba, of Sunnybank Court, Portway, Frome, and Anna Bitner, of Coronation Road, Frome, both pleaded guilty to animal welfare offences, following an investigation and prosecution by the RSPCA.

The animal welfare charity was contacted by a vet after being presented with a dead German Shepherd dog named Ira in January 2024 by the pair who were requesting her cremation.

They told the vets that she had gone into labour on the Friday evening, passed two live puppies and a third that had died shortly after birth. 

They claimed her labour then stopped. However, the post mortem revealed she had a puppy trapped inside that she was unable to pass, with three more puppies behind it.  As a result of repetitively straining so much she ruptured her uterus, developed internal bleeding and sepsis and died.  

They claimed she was fine until the Monday evening, when she suddenly appeared unwell but even then they still failed to seek vet care. By Tuesday morning she was dead.  

RSPCA Inspector Patrick Bailey, who investigated for the animal welfare charity, said: "The case is another sad example where money and profit appears to have been put before welfare and in doing so cost Ira her life. 

“It is so upsetting to think about how she must have been feeling, emotionally and physically, as she endured such a prolonged, painful labour whilst she struggled to try and give birth, only to become fatally injured internally through her efforts.  Although Bitner claims Ira did not appear unwell over the 72 hours, I find that hard to believe given the severity of her condition, which resulted in her death.  

“The couple's decision not to seek veterinary treatment at any stage, even at the point when they felt Ira had developed an infection and did appear to be unwell, is completely unacceptable.  

“Bitner said she did not allow the puppies to feed from Ira to avoid them ingesting potentially infected milk and in an interview she explained that she felt she had done a good thing by saving the two surviving puppies. Ira's puppies were later found to be advertised for sale, for £1,000 each, which speaks volumes about the incentive for ensuring their survival.

“My investigation also revealed offences in relation to unlicensed breeding on a larger scale, involving various breeds of dog over a number of years. I hope the sentence sends a clear message to other illegal breeders who put profit before welfare.”

Alongside the animal disqualification orders, which they can not appeal to be lifted for 15 years, both were also given suspended prison sentences, Bitner was given 16 weeks custody, suspended two years, while Zareba received 12 weeks custody, also suspended for two years. The pair were also ordered to pay £300 costs and a £154 victim surcharge when they were sentenced on October 30 at Bath Magistrates Court.