Breeder who won at Crufts accused of boarding dogs and selling Lhasa Apso puppy without a licence

Linda Moran, 63, appeared at York Magistrates Court on Friday charged with three offences under the Animal Welfare Act. Moran ran a business called A1 Boarding Kennels & Cattery at her home in Brompton-on-Swale, Richmond.

North Yorkshire Council, who prosecute, allege that in April 2023, Moran sold a Lhasa Apso puppy to an elderly woman from the same village, bred dogs and advertised them for sale and provided a boarding service for canines, all when she did not have the correct licence to carry out these activities.

A breeder requires a licence if their dog(s) has three or more litters within the space of a year, and if these puppies are then advertised for sale.

Moran, who specialises in Lhasa Apsos and Dogues de Bordeaux, was convicted at the same court in October 2023 of keeping dogs in inadequate conditions, and is now disqualified from breeding or boarding animals.

Although the new allegations date from before before her last sentencing, an ‘admin error’ meant that both cases were not dealt with at the same time.

She pleaded not guilty to all three charges and will return to the same court for trial in March. Her defence will centre around her claim that the advert was ‘old’ and that the dog was bred before she had her licence revoked.

Following the prosecution last autumn, Moran had been working with the RSPCA to reduce the number of dogs, many of whom were rescues, at her kennels. She was ordered to pay over £3,000 in fines and costs, but magistrates said they were satisfied she was able to care for dogs and was taking steps to address the issues, including no longer taking in rescue animals.

Moran won awards for her dogs at Crufts in 2022.