A Fivemiletown dog breeding company Furnish Kennels is featured in a BBC Scotland investigation which was aired last night.

Sheila Voas, chief veterinary surgeon with the Scottish government, told the programme: “It was barbaric. It was a production line. It was using animals as a commodity.” The firm’s solicitor told the BBC that the premises are run in accordance with the law.

Fermanagh District Council told the programme that at the time of inspection on March 18, “Dog Wardens found no evidence of sickness or mortality and, therefore, had no reason to request further information.” The establishment is run by brothers David and Jonathan Hamilton. In a statement issued through his solicitor to the BBC, David Hamilton said the premises were “maintained and run in accordance with all relevant legislation and regulations in an entirely open and transparent manner.” “All dogs are under the supervision of a nominated veterinary surgeon,” he added.

The programme secretly filmed footage at Furnish Kennels after dark. Writing about the programme on the BBC website, journalist Sam Polling said: “In Northern Ireland I discovered another side of the puppy industry - one that’s legal, but on a scale many experts did not believe existed in the UK. I found a place called Furnish Kennels in Fermanagh, run by two brothers who between them have licences to keep more than 500 breeding bitches on the site.

“With the kennels closed to outside guests, I had to choose the timing of my visit there very carefully. I went in at 02:00 and filmed at night. It was so dark I had to switch the camera to night vision.

“What I found astounded me. When I arrived at the kennels, the noise was deafening. I found two large sheds and hundreds of dogs. There was row upon row of cages. The scale was unimaginable.

“Something caught my eye in each of the cages: plastic pipes with a hollow trough at the bottom. An automatic feeding system.

“Across the yard from the mums I found a row of what look like old, disused trailers. It was freezing and there was snow on the ground, yet inside I could hear whimpering. Inside, I found the pups, just weeks old. Huddled together without their mums. Just pups. Dozens of them, and in another trailer there are more puppies.” Ms. Polling continues: “I showed my footage to a panel of experts, including Dr John Bradshaw of the University of Bristol.

“All that noise going on, those dogs are going to be deafened,” he says. “Because dogs have very sensitive hearing.” “Harry Haworth, a vet and director of the SSPCA adds: ‘And I presume the feeding system is there, so this just reduces the contact with humans even more really.

“Mike Radford, a reader in Animal Welfare Law at the University of Aberdeen, says: ‘It seems to me just looking at it, that this is a lower standard than would be required of agricultural animals in an intensive system.’ “Dr Bradshaw adds: ‘It’s an extraordinary and abhorrent mixture of the worst of factory farming and dog breeding. It’s quite horrendous.’” Fermanagh District Council told the programme that Furnish Kennels is now registered as UK Dog Breeding Academy Ltd, adding: “Gravity fed feeding systems are in place for breeding bitches. The Dog Wardens reported that this area was checked and caused no concern. At the time of inspection no puppies were found to be kept in trailers on site.

The Dog Wardens reported that the premises are kept in very good condition, with under floor heating in all puppy areas. The dog food is of a high quality and all dogs seen at time of inspection appeared to be fit and healthy. The Dog Wardens reported that whilst carrying out inspections there were no issues with dogs barking or noise nuisance. It is the Council’s opinion that the premises comply with the above legislation and employ best practice within the boundaries of the legislation.” In a response to The Impartial Reporter, the new Fermanagh and Omagh District Council (FODC) said: “FODC is now responsible for enforcement of the Welfare of Animals (Dog Breeding Establishments and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2013.

If tonight’s BBC programme discloses new information or if a member of the public provides any information regarding possible contraventions of the legislation, Fermanagh and Omagh District Council will investigate accordingly. If any breaches of the legislation are proven, appropriate enforcement action will be taken.”