Life ban for pet shop owner

After being repeatedly found guilty of breeches of trading licence

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A local woman has been banned from ever reopening her pet shop, after being repeatedly found guilty of breeches of her trading licence.

Girolama Pontearso of Churchfield Road, Acton, in addition to the lifetime ban also was sentenced to a Community Order for two years with a supervision requirement, and asked to contribute to Ealing Council’s costs of £2,000.

In October 2006, Council Licensing and Trading Standards officers visited the Pet Aquaria Garden Shop after being informed by a member of the cat protection league that Mrs Pontearso was illegally selling cats from the shop. As part of the visit the officers bought a kitten, despite this being a clear breech of her trading licence.

Councillor Sue Emment, Cabinet Member for Safer Communities, said: “Mrs Pontearso is a clear danger to the welfare of animals. She shows little understanding or regard for their health and well being.

“The lifetime ban will ensure that no more animals suffer as a result of her disregard of the law.”

Ealing Council Licensing officers, in conjunction with Trading Standards officers, have been pursuing Mrs Pontearso since 2001, when she was first found guilty of misinterpreting the pedigree of a dog she sold to a member of the public. Since then she has been in and out of court for breeching her licence by constantly failing to achieve suitable standards of animal health and welfare.

August 7, 2007