Two men have been sentenced following a Scottish SPCA investigation into a horrific unlicensed “fertility clinic” run from a shed.
Paul Robertson and Alexander Myers appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Tuesday 16th September 2025. Robertson received a £270 fine. Myers was sentenced to 180 hours community payback service, a £90 fine and was banned from owning dogs for three years.
Myres ran a dog breeding and fertility clinic operation out of Roberston’s home, despite holding no breeder’s licence and not being registered as a veterinary practice. A shed was used as a makeshift canine fertility centre where procedures such as artificial insemination, drawing of blood from to monitor ovulation and microchipping were performed by an unqualified individual.
Police Scotland alerted the Scottish SPCA after attending the property on an unrelated matter and raising concerns for the welfare of the dogs.
A Scottish SPCA Inspector said: “There was an overwhelming stench of faeces and urine coming from the kennels and shed areas. The sheds were dark, poorly ventilated and coated in faeces. In total, 32 dogs were found at the residence. Three were living in the house as pets, while the remainder were kept in unsanitary kennels.”
Triage examinations revealed multiple health concerns including:
- Ocular disease
- Dermatological disease
- Musculoskeletal disease
- Respiratory disorders
One dog, a female French Bulldog named Miss Piggy, was found collapsed, shivering, and with fresh wounds to her ears and face. She also had an untreated ingrown toenail embedded into her paw. Despite urgent efforts, Miss Piggy’s condition was too advanced and she was euthanised to prevent further suffering.
A further 5 dogs had to be euthanised due to their poor condition. Both parties plead not guilty to these charges and no convictions were made in respect to them.
The inspector added “We respect the court’s decision but are disappointed the sentencing was not stronger. Even so, this case is a step in the right direction in highlighting the risks of unregulated fertility clinics and the neglect of animal welfare that so often accompanies them.”
“Robertson and Myers have failed to ensure the welfare of the many dogs in their care and we are increasingly seeing people operating fertility clinics from their homes. These clinics are completely unregulated, pose serious risks to animal welfare. In some cases, animals are seriously injured after having blood drawn by unqualified individuals.”
The Scottish SPCA is calling for fertility clinics to be formally regulated, with inspections carried out only by registered, experienced veterinary surgeons. We continue to advocate for a complete overhaul of the outdated Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, which no longer provides adequate safeguards for animal welfare. We also urge anyone considering breeding their pets to consult their vet first, and to report any concerns about fertility clinics directly to our helpline.
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