Officers executed a warrant at an address in Lytchett Matravers on 26 November 2021.

Following a detailed investigation by the Rural Crime Team, five people have been issued with postal requisitions to appear at court for animal welfare offences after 11 dogs were seized during the operation.

A further individual is also due to appear in connection with allegations that threats were made to an officer as the warrant was being carried out.

Two men – aged 31 and 27 – and a 24-year-old woman from Lytchett Matravers, as well as 25-year-old man from Upton and a 34-year-old woman from the Blandford area, are all due to appear at Poole Magistrates’ Court on Friday 8 July 2022 for offences of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal and failing to take reasonable steps to ensure that the needs of an animal for which they were responsible were met.

A 58-year-old man from Lytchett Matravers has also been issued with a postal requisition to appear at the same court on the same date for an offence of making threats to kill.