A TRIAL was told how inspectors found animals with broken bones, skin infections and living in poor conditions at a town centre pet shop.

Living World owner Wayne Moffat appeared alongside co-defendant Ian Henry at South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court yesterday for the first day of a trial.

The pair are accused of causing unnecessary suffering to 65 animals in the shop, in Barrow’s Dalton Road.

They are also charged with failing to provide adequate ultraviolet lighting for animals and failing to seek veterinary assistance for suffering reptiles.

They have both denied the charges.

Judge Gerald Chalk was told how inspectors from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, an officer from Barrow Council and police executed a warrant at the pet shop on February 14 and seized the animals.

Council officials had previously inspected the shop following the withdrawal of Mr Moffat’s licence to sell animals on the grounds he had failed to comply with conditions relating to animal welfare.

The court was told that when the warrant was carried out Mr Henry was the only person in the store and had tried to obstruct the agencies, who were accompanied by a locksmith, from entering.

Mr Henry insisted to the court he had not blocked their entry and had only struggled to open the door, saying: “Of course I didn’t. Pathetic.”

Pictures taken by RSPCA inspectors and presented to court were said to show injuries to a number of animals.

The court heard a gecko had suffered broken bones, a tortoise had sustained a mouth infection and and a snake had been left unable to close its mouth due to a build-up of puss.

RSPCA Inspector Kim Greaves told the court she opened an enclosure containing two marmoset monkeys to be met with an ‘awful’ smell of urine.

“I wanted to gag,” she said.

Appearing as a witness, Mr Henry denied he was an employee at the store but regularly helped out his friend Mr Moffat.

(Proceeding)