An Acton shopkeeper has been banned for three years from running a pet shop after being found guilty of selling animals without a licence.

 

Girolama Pontearso, who runs the PetAquariaGarden on Churchfield Road, was caught in a ‘sting’ operation by Ealing Council when she illegally sold two rabbits to trading standards officers.

 

Acton magistrates court heard that Mrs Pontearso had also illegally sold a kitten and traded in other more exotic pets, despite being refused a licence in 2003.

 

Her licence had been stopped because she was not maintaining appropriate health and welfare standards in accordance with her licence conditions.

 

Although Mrs Pontearso had been given advice from animal health officers from the Corporation of London and officers from Ealing Council, she claimed in court that she thought she could still trade.

 

But the judge said Mrs Pontearso had ‘blatantly continued to trade without a licence’.

 

She was fined the maximum penalty of £500 and disqualified from selling animals from her shop for three years under the provisions of the Pet Animals Act 1951. Mrs Pontearso was also ordered to pay £2000 towards the council's costs.

 

Here at Actonw3.com, we're not convinced that the latest court action has stopped Mrs Pontearso from selling pets, as we have received reports of rabbits offered for sale just last week. If you visit PetAquariaGarden on Churchfield Road and are offered an animal for sale, then contact Ealing's trading standards department immediately.

February 7th, 2005