For illegally trading 59 French bulldog puppies, a 49-year-old woman from Hoogeveen has been sentenced to 120 hours of community service, of which 80 are conditional. She has earned 33,500 euros and must repay this amount.
The woman bred these dogs in her home in Hoogeveen. This came to light in May 2021 through anonymous reports, but the investigation was eventually started in February 2022. It showed that the woman had been trading in these dogs since 2017, without having valid papers or registration.
During the search of the home, the officers came across twelve healthy, adult bulldogs. Research at veterinary clinics showed that the woman had sold about a hundred puppies in recent years. “Then you no longer speak of a passion or a hobby. That is trade,” said the public prosecutor.
The woman did not have a registration number, she wanted to arrange this later. She also eventually obtained her professional qualifications diploma. The public prosecutor demanded a community service order of 180 hours, of which 80 hours were conditional. The woman’s lawyer believed that the woman should be acquitted due to insufficient evidence.
The public prosecutor assumed illegal profits of 62,500 euros, which had to be repaid. The judge’s calculation came to about half of that.