THE owner of a cattery where an animal was seriously wounded and had to have a limb amputated, has pleaded guilty to running an unlicensed facility.

Paul Jarvis of Heathfield, near Kidlington, was ordered to pay costs of £350 and a victim surcharge at a hearing on Monday at Oxford Magistrates’ Court.

Council licensing officers found that conditions at his cattery, Catisfaction, posed a safety risk.

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The council informed Mr Jarvis of the improvements that were required. These included repairs to damaged pieces of wood within the pens, but Mr Jarvis refused to comply.

The cat that was wounded at the establishment had to have a limb amputated and has since been put to sleep.

Richard Webb, Cherwell’s assistant director for regulatory services, said: “It is really important that animal boarding establishments are regulated and held to high standards.

“We will crack down on unlicensed catteries and kennels, and the fact that one poor cat was seriously injured while staying at this one goes to show why that’s important.

“I know that more pet owners will be leaving their furry friends at kennels and catteries over Christmas. Now is the perfect time for people to do their research and make sure they choose a safe establishment that has been checked by our licensing team.”

A failure to provide ramps to raised areas of the pens may have been the cause of the injury to the complainant’s cat.

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These ramps are a requirement of cattery licenses, and a council report found that the animal’s injuries may have been avoided had the business been licenced.

Catisfaction has now ceased trading and his criminal record will affect Mr Jarvis’ ability to run animal boarding facilities in future.