The animals were found living in rooms that were covered from floor to ceiling in faeces and dirt several inches thick with the smell so overpowering it ‘was difficult to talk or breathe properly’
Some of the 84 dogs which were found in a home by RSPCA officers(Image: RSPCA)
A children’s social worker has been found guilty of the neglect of 84 dogs and two cats who were found living in “appalling” conditions, with “floor to ceiling” faeces found on walls within the home. The dogs were taken to 18 different RSPCA shelters across the country, including in Hull, after being found “covered in dirt” by the charity’s officers, the police and local authority officers in April last year.
One image taken by the charity shows more than 30 of the spaniels sitting on the stairs and landing. Nine RSPCA officers, accompanied by the police and local authority, found the animals at the house in Galley Hill, Tickhill, South Yorkshire on April 18, 2025, and told the court that it was difficult to breathe due to the smell of faeces and urine. They were mainly Springer Spaniel-type dogs living in rooms that were covered from floor to ceiling in faeces and dirt several inches thick.
David Parkes, 61, had denied owning or having responsibility for the animals but was found guilty of three animal welfare offences following a two-day trial at Barnsley Magistrates’ Court which concluded on Tuesday, September 29. His wife Delphine Parkes, 50, and son Sam Parkes, 28, had both pleaded guilty to three animal welfare offences at an earlier hearing on January 7 following an investigation and prosecution by the RSPCA. All three defendants are due to be sentenced on December 9 at Doncaster Magistrates’ Court.
The RSPCA has now successfully rehomed all but one of the animals – the majority found homes through the charity’s network of branch-run centres across the north of England. One of the animals, Polly, is now homed with an RSPCA worker in Hull, after five of the dogs were taken to the branch on Clough Road.
The dogs’ numbers had rapidly spiralled because none of them had been neutered. The family had tried unsuccessfully to give some of the dogs away but there was no evidence they were large-scale breeders, the court heard. Barnsley Magistrates’ Court was told RSPCA officers had first visited on April 5 after welfare concerns had been reported about animals living at the address. A notice was left offering assistance and asking the owners to get in touch, but no-one responded.
Police officers then executed a warrant with the animal welfare charity on April 17. Although the family were inside at the time, entry had to be forced via a back door.
In her written evidence, one of the RSPCA officers, inspector Kristy Ludlam, said: “The door into the kitchen was opened and we were met with 20 to 25 Springer Spaniels, some huddled in the corners, others running around. The kitchen was covered in dirt and faeces from floor to ceiling. The floor had at least 20 piles of faeces on it, which the dogs had distributed around the floor and over themselves.
“The dogs were cowering and huddling in a corner, or jumping on the kitchen sides near the window at the back of the room. They were very dirty, their fur covered in faeces, and many of their ears had lumps of dirt stuck to them, almost like dreadlocks. I walked around the corner to the bottom of the stairs, and was met by dogs on every step. There were approximately 33 Springer Spaniels crowding the stairs barking and staring at me.
“The stairs were caked in dirt, approximately six to seven inches sat on top of each step from the bottom almost all the way to the top. By the top step the dirt had almost reached ten inches and the landing was an undulating mass of dirt, faeces and fur which made it incredibly difficult and unsafe to walk on.”
After about 20 minutes, Parkes appeared and said he wanted to help get the dogs to safety and believed there were over 80 inside.
The court also heard evidence from animal rescue officer Liz Braidley, who said: “On entry into the property at the rear the conditions were appalling. The first room was a small area to the rear of the garage. Every surface from the floor and up the walls was brown in colour, the smell of urine and faeces was overpowering it made my eyes sting. We then went through a door to the left which led into the kitchen. There were numerous Spaniel type dogs, all filthy with stained yellow coats. Every part of the floor, walls, and surfaces was caked in a brown residue.
“The dogs all ran to the other side of the room appearing very scared and timid. The smell in this room was unbearable, it was difficult to talk or breathe properly and I was unable to stay in there for extended periods of time. There was a further door across the kitchen area. Myself and Inspector Ludlam went through here which led to an area by the staircase to the upper floor. There again, were numerous Spaniel type dogs which were impossible to count as they retreated up the stairs where they then sat watching us.”
Two adult Springer Spaniels, two 12-week-old Springer Spaniel puppies, two adult female Patterdale Terriers and two Patterdale Terrier pups were living in the Parkes’ bedroom. The room was piled high with various items and was nearly impossible to access, the court heard. Two cats were also found in their son’s bedroom, which was also dirty and cluttered.
Delphine Parkes told the inspector the situation had got out of control since Covid and she knew they now had too many dogs. The couple were told neither themselves nor the animals could carry on living in these conditions and David Parkes agreed for all of them to be removed and he signed them over into the care of the RSPCA – although he disputed ownership during the two-day hearing.
Many of the dogs did not appear to have ever been walked on a lead and had to be carried to waiting vehicles. The animals were assessed and those needing treatment were taken to four veterinary practices before being transported to private boarding facilities. A vet who examined 46 of the dogs said 14 of them were emaciated and had been suffering for at least a month. Five had infected cuts on their ears which are believed to have been caused by attempts to cut off matted fur with scissors.
Several had bilateral ear infections and one Spaniel had an ‘excruciatingly painful’ broken front leg which was later successfully treated. The animals, including the cats called Jess and Flower, were vaccinated and received preventative treatment for fleas and worms. Some of the dogs needed antibiotics.
In her written statement, one of the vets said: “A very large number of animals were being kept in an inadequate space. They were living in filth and squalor. They were not provided with sufficient resources for their basic needs such as water, adequate food, beds or toys. Many of the dogs were underweight, probably due to their lack of ability to compete with the other dogs for the resources. Many of them had untreated injuries. Any reasonable and humane person would have recognised these problems and addressed them.”
Following the rescue, most of the dogs were taken to 18 different private boarding facilities on behalf of the RSPCA. One Spaniel was euthanised to prevent it suffering further from its health issues.
One of the dogs, Polly, who was only three months old at the time, was one of the youngest to be rescued from the house. She has now found a permanent home in Hull. Polly arrived at the RSPCA’s Hull & East Riding Branch along with four other spaniels – Spring, Autumn, Cloud and Summer – who were also successfully rehomed by the centre in Clough Road.
Lisa Marchant, senior administrator at the branch, is Polly’s proud new owner. She said: “I had a big spaniel-shaped hole in my heart after losing my previous dog. When one of my colleagues said five spaniels had arrived from a large incident I was almost too nervous to go and have a look. Polly came over to me in the kennel straight away and it’s moments like that when you relate to dogs you’ve loved and lost.
“I would describe Polly as high on life, everything is wonderful to her. She’s such a smart girl and is absolutely bonkers for a ball. She’s brilliant with my children, our cat, Joy, and everyone who meets her. She loves her walks and her hikes, we’ve climbed Pen-y-ghent this year and she really was in her element.
“The yellow urine staining on her white tail and paws took a little while to go – it was the last reminder to me of what she’d been through. She’s come such a long way and is definitely making up for lost time now.”
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