CRUELLA THE VILE BACK IN BUSINESS; WE SNARE BANNED PUPPY TRADER.

Byline: MARION SCOTT

A BANNED puppy farmer nicknamed Cruella the Vile is back in business, we can reveal.

Liz Baird is selling pounds 400 puppies despite being stripped of her dog breeding licence by East Ayrshire Council.

Our investigation revealed how she has launched a new puppy business by changing her name and moving to South Ayrshire.

We caught Baird using the name Liz Friel and flogging pomapoos - a cross between Pomeranians and toy poodles.

Despite her history of selling sick and dying pups, and lying about them being Kennel Club registered, it seemed business as usual when we visited her farm in Tarbolton - around nine miles from her previous home in Hurlford.

Our investigator bought a pounds 395 female pup called Bambi - which Baird wrongly said was male.

She said: "He's a lovely boy.

He's cheeky and you can really see the poodle in his face.

"He's so sweet. He's from a litter of five. It's the first pomapoo litter I've had but I'll probably do more. I've been breeding for over 20 years.

"We moved here just over three weeks ago and we've done a lot of work to the place. My son has made a run for the dogs.

"One of our chihuahuas is expecting pups in eight weeks."

Complaints

Baird also claimed it was not possible to see nine-week-old Bambi's parents.

She said: "The mum is a poodle that belongs to my sister who lives in Uist and the father is a Pomeranian that we've sold to someone in Carlisle." After we exposed Baird last year, she was fined pounds 2000 at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court after facing six charges of falsely claiming her pups were KC registered.

The catalogue of complaints also led East Ayrshire Council to obtain a UK-wide court ban on Baird selling sick dogs.

Baird has left a trail of misery in her wake.

One pounds 475 pup died as its new owners raced it to a vet just hours after buying the tiny animal as a present for a sixyear-old girl.

Baird&

#x27;s Rescued: Bambi a refund cheque bounced. King Charles pups were sold Baird for pounds 900 but one had upper respiratory while both had ear mites.

The refund cheque Baird again bounced.

Baird and husband who is attached to the of God Pentecostal at Johnstone, Renfrewshire, live in a farmhouse beside kennels at Smithsfield House, the edge of Tarbolton.

Three years ago, Baird, 50, stood trial after neighbour claimed threatened to kill with a gun, but was cleared. When told the "lovely boy" pomapoo was female, Baird said: "Was it the wee girl I gave you? Oh my God.

"I've done nothing wrong. I'm not banned from breeding dogs here. I've only had the two litters so I don't see how I'm breaking the law.

"Why don't you give us a break? I have used the name Baird. Friel is my real name." South Ayrshire Council will consider whether Baird is fit to hold a breeding licence.

The Sunday Mail had Bambi checked over by a vet and found the puppy a loving new home.

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IF YOU BUY A PUPPY..

= Only go to reputable breeders.

The Kennel Club provide lists.

= Always view the mother of any puppies for sale.

= Examine the puppy and satisfy yourself it is in good health.

= Ask for a copy of the puppy's veterinary records.

= Once you have purchased the puppy, take it to your own vet for a health check.

= If you want to rehome an animal, contact the Scottish SPCA Animal Helpline 03000 999 999..

CAPTION(S):

Rescued: We Bambi a new home Brazen: Liz Baird, calling herself Friel, sells our investigator a puppy called Bambi from her new base - and even managed to get its sex wrong