Animal owner faces life ban

Ute Siewert, 40, faces a life ban on keeping animals following an RSPCA raid at her Vale Road home in October last year.

Inspectors found dead creatures sharing cages with live ones and others running wild in rooms covered in excrement.

More than 150 animals were found living in filthy conditions without water and most without food.

Among the collection were exotic animals and birds including chinchillas, a chipmunk, parakeets, small dog-sized rats called Mara, fruit bats and flying rodents called sugar gliders. Animals in cages were so thirsty they licked the bars for moisture and rodents made their homes in the furniture.

Siewert, who claimed she intended to get a smallholding to keep the animals, denied all 20 charges but was convicted of 18 in her absence at Lewes Magistrates' Court last month.

Sentencing was adjourned to allow her to attend Brighton Magistrates' Court on Tuesday as she had made a complaint to have several of the animals returned to her.

However, she failed to show again and the case was adjourned to December 11.

An order was made for the court to write and advise her an application had been lodged to dismiss her complaint.

Many of the small animals have been found new homes while a dog and several cats remain in a RSPCA shelter.