Woman who kept dogs in filthy kennels gets pet ban

Amini Ato has received a suspended prison sentence and a seven-year ban on keeping animals after more than 40 dogs were found in squalid kennels at a Sheffield allotment. The case highlights the harm caused by poor animal welfare: some dogs had to be put down, while others were rehabilitated and rehomed.

Police found the dogs at the Infield Lane plot in May 2024, panting for water in kennels with concrete floors and inadequate bedding. Some had skin or mobility problems, and veterinary checks indicated they had been used for breeding. Ato, 51, was given an 18-week sentence suspended for 12 months, ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work, and had previously pleaded guilty to owning two unregistered XL bullies and three charges of causing unnecessary suffering.