The RSPCA rescued 84 dogs and two cats from a Tickhill home in April 2025 after finding rooms layered with inches of faeces and dirt. Veterinary checks found 14 dogs emaciated, five with infected ear cuts from mat removal, several with ear infections, and one with a broken leg; most animals received treatment and vaccinations. David Parkes, 61, was convicted of three animal welfare offences on 29 September; his wife and son had pleaded guilty earlier. All surviving animals have been rehomed except one spaniel that was euthanised. Sentencing is set for 9 December.
Social Worker Convicted After RSPCA Rescues 84 Dogs and 2 Cats From Home 'Covered in Faeces and Squalor'
Some of the springer spaniels found at the house in Tickhill, England before being rescued in April 2025Credit: RSPCA/Facebook
A children's social worker has been convicted after animal welfare officers from the RSPCA removed 84 dogs and two cats from a Tickhill home in April 2025 where inspectors found rooms covered in inches of faeces and dirt.
A group of the dogs found sitting on the staircaseCredit: RSPCA/Facebook
Court Verdict and Case Timeline
On 29 September, 61-year-old David Parkes was found guilty of three animal welfare offences following a two-day trial at Barnsley Magistrates' Court. His wife, Delphine, 60, and their son, Sam, 28, had previously pleaded guilty to three animal welfare offences at a hearing on 7 January after the RSPCA investigation.
One of the dogsCredit: RSPCA/Facebook
Rescue and Conditions Found
RSPCA officers attended the property, about 160 miles north of London, after concerns were first raised in early April. The charity removed the animals from the Tickhill house on 18 April 2025. Inspectors described many rooms as "covered from floor to ceiling in faeces and dirt several inches thick." Officers forced entry on 17 April under a warrant after earlier visits prompted no response.
One of the dogs with matted furCredit: RSPCA/Facebook
Inspector Kristy Ludlam reported finding dozens of springer spaniels crammed into the kitchen and stairwell, with the floors and stairs caked in faeces and dirt to a depth of some six to seven inches.
Veterinary Findings and Care
Veterinary examinations found 14 of the dogs were emaciated and had likely been suffering for at least a month. Five dogs had infected cuts on their ears believed to be caused by attempts to cut away severely matted fur. Several dogs had bilateral ear infections and one had a broken front leg that required treatment. The two cats, named Flower and Jess, were also recovered from the property.
Some of the dogs inside the houseCredit: RSPCA/Facebook
All animals received vaccinations. Some dogs were given antibiotics, and many received preventative worm and flea treatments. Most of the dogs were underweight — the RSPCA suggested this was likely due to overcrowding and competition for limited resources. One spaniel was humanely euthanised because its health could not be restored without prolonged suffering.
Family Response and Next Steps
Delphine Parkes told officers the situation had 'gotten out of control' since the Covid pandemic and authorities believe the population increased because many of the dogs had not been neutered. David Parkes had earlier denied responsibility for the animals but was convicted at trial. All three family members are due to be sentenced at Doncaster Magistrates' Court on 9 December.
The RSPCA has since rehomed the surviving animals after veterinary assessment and rehabilitation.
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