A FORTY-eight-year-old woman is facing a prosecution after she was charged with animal welfare crimes - including causing unnecessary suffering to dogs.

Kelly Latuskie has been charged with five alleged offences.

All relate to wrongdoing which prosecutors say happened at either Carleton south of Carlisle or at the city’s Willowholme Industrial estate.

One charge states: "On or before December 22, 2020, at Newlands Farm Cottage, Carleton, Cumbria, [you] did not take such steps as were reasonable in all the circumstances to ensure that the needs of an animal for which you were responsible, namely dogs, were met to the extent required by good practice."

The allegation goes on to state that the dogs involved had "untreated dental disease" and they were therefore were not protected from pain or suffering.

The other four charges that the defendant is facing are as follows:

* Breaching the condition on an animal welfare licence in relation to the activity of dog breeding between June 18, 2019, and December 22, again at Newlands Farm Cottage, Carleton.

* Between July 1, 2019, and December 22, 2020 at Willowholme Industrial Estate, Millrace Road, breached her licence condition for looking after boarding dogs by accommodating more dogs than the 30 permitted.

* During the same period, at Willowholme, she breached her licence by "failing to have sufficient numbers of competent people available at the premises to ensure that the welfare needs of all the animals were met."

* On or before December 22 last year, at Newlands Farm, Carleton, she did not take such steps as were necessary to ensure that the dogs in her care were met in that those animals were kept in "poor and unhygienic conditions" and therefore were not provided with a suitable environment.

Latuskie, of Waterbeck, near Lockerbie, is yet to enter pleas. The case was adjourned until September 8 following a request from the defence so that this can happen.