By Abigail Hunt

Copyright dailystar

A wicked farmer who kept 450 animals – including creatures, donkeys and a llama – in appalling conditions has been sent to prison. Lee Hayes received a one-year jail sentence after the animals were discovered living in filth. The 52-year-old was also slapped with a lifetime ban on keeping animals . Seventy horses and donkeys, 50 dogs and puppies, 170 guinea pigs as well as rabbits, rodents, poultry, birds, reptiles, exotics and a llama were all rescued from the farm in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Notts. Hayes was reported to the RSPCA after an officer visited the property and found dogs eating their own faeces, as reported by Need to Know. An elderly German Shepherd dog was tethered to a small kennel and struggling to walk. Hayes confessed that the dog had not seen a vet and he “expected it to die that winter”. The dog had to be euthanised. The officers also discovered a cocker spaniel, who required hernia surgery, and puppies covered in faeces and with urine scalds on their pads. Five other dogs were chained to outdoor kennels and 40 dogs were housed in a dark barn. Donkeys and horses were suffering from rotting feet, were underweight and others hadn’t received any treatment for parasites and proper dental care. More than half of the 59 equines seized were in poor body condition, with one donkey being so lame that she was put to sleep to end her suffering. Ferrets and rabbits were found living in filthy, maggot-infested cages and enclosures. Mice, pygmy squirrels and hamsters were crammed into overcrowded cages within the farmhouse, whilst a Congo grey parrot had become so distressed it had plucked out half its feathers. The property also housed lame, malnourished cattle, underweight birds and hens deprived of water, all squeezed into tiny enclosures, with 24 goats confiscated due to overgrown hooves and illness. Deceased birds were discovered heaped together in one cramped hutch. Inside a vivarium crawling with fruit flies sat three malnourished tortoises, whilst Java sparrows, a finch and canaries were abandoned in a heavily contaminated cage. Out of the 107 birds housed on the farm, merely 12 had access to fresh water. The 66 rescued guinea pigs were housed in squalid enclosures alongside other deceased baby guinea pigs, with some bearing injuries from males attacking one another. The majority of the creatures had never received veterinary treatment and several required euthanasia to end their misery. The RSPCA described it as one of the largest animal welfare cases the charity has encountered. Over 100 personnel from various charities were required to assist in removing the animals. An RSPCA spokesperson commented: “The conditions we found all these animals living in were absolutely appalling. The smell of manure hit as soon as you walked through the gate and the sheer volume of animals in dire circumstances was quite overwhelming. “There was a very lame cow tied up in one of the barns that was the most broken animal I had ever seen. There was also a lamb I will never forget, her leg was swinging and the smell of infection from her was the worst thing ever – she’d been attacked by a dog some days before and just left suffering with multiple fractures. “There were few signs any kind of animal husbandry had taken place. Many of the dogs for example were suffering from easily treatable conditions and the lack of veterinary care demonstrated the total disregard the defendant took to the animals’ welfare. “Keeping large numbers of animals like this at one location is never a good idea as the resources required to give them a good life are unlikely to be found. The defendant also allowed the number of animals to grow, as for example mares were mixing with stallions and bitches were paired up with dogs. “We are grateful for the tip-off that highlighted how badly conditions had deteriorated, which meant alongside Nottinghamshire Police we were able to organise a rescue of over 450 animals with the assistance of our charity partners. “We split up into teams over two days to deal with different species and all the animals were systematically health checked and then taken to safe accommodation, where many were treated for their ailments and have since made a good recovery. “Many of these animals have already been rehomed to enjoy better lives, both by the RSPCA and with the help of our charity partners.” Hayes, from Croftfield Farm on Dawgates Lane in Sutton-in-Ashfield, admitted to 25 offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. He was sentenced at Mansfield Magistrates’ Court on September 18. His girlfriend, Tammy Heath of Skegby, Notts, pleaded guilty to two animal welfare offences, specifically failing to meet the needs of two dogs. Heath received a 13-week prison sentence, which was suspended for a year. She has been prohibited from keeping dogs for five years and is required to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.