A puppy farmer has been ordered to hand over money he may earn in the future after admitting neglecting dozens of dogs.
Charles Swan, 67, had pleaded guilty to animal welfare offences at Falkirk Sheriff Court earlier this year and on Friday a sheriff ordered him to hand over £1.
The order for the nominal sum was made because Swan has no assets. However, by ordering him to pay the small sum the Crown kept open the possibility of seizing any future assets.
It is the first time proceeds of crime legislation has been used in Scotland to target someone convicted under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2006.
Swan, of Stirling, was sentenced to serve eight months in prison and banned from having any contact with animals for 10 years on March 28.
In August 2011 the Scottish SPCA raided Swan’s property at Darnbogue Farm, Airth, and found 57 neglected animals.They were reacting to complaints of puppies being sold from the property in poor condition.
Several of the rescued animals required immediate veterinary care, having been kept in squalid conditions without adequate bedding or food.
A large number of the animals recovered were suffering from infestations and other illnesses consistent with neglect.