Dog breeder Barbara Glover allowed to keep dogs until sentence is appealed

Janine Wallace and her mother, top Auckland dog breeder Barbara Glover, were banned from owning dogs for nine years in a case of neglect brought by the SPCA. Photo / Ellen Thompson

Two Auckland dog breeders who were banned from owning dogs for nine years have had their suspension paused while they appeal their conviction.

Volkerson Kennels owner Barbara Glover, 83, became the subject of one of the SPCA's biggest prosecutions after a raid on her property in South Auckland in 2018. Her daughter Janine Wallace, 63, who also worked, faced the same allegations of failing to care for the dogs.

At the time Glover was recognised as the country's top German shepherd breeder, importing pedigree bloodlines and selling puppies online for thousands of dollars.

In April, the women were found guilty of 32 violations of the Animal Welfare Act, including six counts each of failing to meet the physical, health and behavioural needs of an animal and six counts of failing to alleviate the pain or distress of an ill animal.

Manukau District Court Judge Karen Grau sentenced Wallace to 12 months of intensive supervision and 300 hours of community work in July. Glover was sentenced to nine months supervision.

Both women were also disqualified from owning or exercising ownership of dogs for nine years.

Grau described the offending as a bad case of neglect and failing to care for animals.

"You still believe the SPCA is involved in some conspiracy against you.

"You never admitted the true amount of dogs, in fact, the number of dogs at your property is still changing," Grau said.

The women are appealing their sentence but have gone to court today asking for the disqualification order and $20,000 in court costs to be put on hold until the appeal can be heard.

"It is a miscarriage of justice and the sentence is manifestly excessive. We have Barbara who is 84 and a nine-year ban means she will be in her 90s when she can next own a dog," said her lawyer Dan Gardiner told Justice Sally Fitzgerald at the High Court in Auckland.

Barbara Glover, owner of Volkerson German Shepherd Kennels at Pokeno, has been banned from owning a dog for nine years. Photo / NZME

"They have had a career of breeding dogs, the dogs wouldn't have been of good temperament and instead would have been feral if they weren't looked after.

"Glover has a number of medical issues, she brings extensive knowledge of dogs, she has been associated with them for decades and can provide that oversight," said Gardiner.

But prosecutor Charlie Piho said both women still deny any responsibility for the offending.

"We have no confidence that they will look after their dogs."

Piho also said there was no evidence that either woman was unable to pay the costs or that they would suffer undue hardship.

Justice Fitzgerald granted the application but said she wanted to know exactly how many dogs are at the property by 5pm tomorrow.

"There's been an unacceptable vagueness about the number of dogs at present," Justice Fitzgerald said.

"If Glover and Wallace are highly experienced and capable dog owners and managers they should be able to provide that clarity."

The pair will appeal their sentence next month.