The public prosecution office says a Brabant dog breeder who repeatedly mistreated his animals should be jailed for 20 months, 10 suspended, for his crimes.

The man’s ex-girlfriend should get a slightly lower prison sentence of 15 months, 10 of which conditional, because she has admitted some of the allegations, the department said at the trial.

Jan P (69), from Eerssel, first came to the attention of officials in 2022 when animal protection group House of Animals recorded a video showing over 500 ill and distressed dogs in his overcrowded kennels.

Despite checks by NVWA inspectors, the man continued to breed dogs, keeping them in small and dirty kennels without clean drinking water.

In 2023 more dogs were impounded and in March last year the NVWA again found hundreds of malnourished dogs as well as donkeys and rabbits on the premises. The business was then closed and he reportedly moved to Belgium.

The prosecutors said that efforts to steer the business in the right direction had come to nothing.  P continued to maintain his business was “in tip top condition” and ignored the fines he had to pay.

The prosecutor said P had caused the state great expense because the dogs had to be rehomed, adding that the couple must never be allowed to keep animals for the rest of their lives and P must also pay a fine of €60,000. The judge will pass sentence on April 8.