Burton Latimer woman now living near Corby banned from keeping animals for 10 years after 'awful' discovery
A 58-year-old woman has been banned from keeping animals for 10 years following a tip-off to Northamptonshire Police.
In May 2025, officers from the Rural Crime Team received a report from a member of the public about a woman from Burton Latimer who was allegedly causing animals unnecessary suffering.
When police officers visited the home of Sarah Jane Taylor on May 14, 2025, she refused them entry, stating she only had one dog and nothing more, but they could see multiple animal pens in the back garden – including a dead rabbit.
The following day police returned with a warrant and to search her house and found multiple animals including three budgies, a cockatoo, four chicks, one chicken and two dogs.
Taylor, now of Oakley Park Road, Middleton, near Corby, was subsequently charged with two counts of failing to meet the needs of animals and one count of causing unnecessary suffering to animals, both under the Animal Welfare Act.
PC Chloe Gillies from Northants Police Rural Crime Team said: “As an animal lover myself, it was absolutely awful to see the conditions in which Taylor was housing these animals, and I am so pleased that we managed to rescue them.
After pleading guilty to the offences at Northampton Magistrates’ Court in November 2025, Taylor returned to the same court on February 4, where she was given a community order, banned from keeping animals for 10 years, and ordered to complete a 20-day rehabilitation activity.
The court heard that all the animals were held in unsuitable conditions with the floor inside the house and in the back garden wet and covered in animal excrement.
A vet was called and following their assessment, all of the animals were removed from the house under Section 18 (5) of the Animal Welfare Act.
All of the animals were then rehomed. One of the dogs who had been seized - a Staffordshire Bull Terrier called Hugo - increased from 28kg to 32kg in the space of 13 days as a result of proper care.
PC Gillies added: “I hope this case demonstrates the seriousness with which the Rural Crime Team takes reports of animal suffering and that we will do whatever we can to act quickly and prevent any further distress.
“Finally, I’d like to thank the RSPCA inspectors and the RSPCA Animal Rescue Officers who worked with us on this case for their invaluable support.”
Editorial note: An earlier version of this story said Taylor was now living in Market Harborough. Northants Police has since updated their press release.