Six charges against Burbage couple Carol Pepper and Sean Atkinson brought by the RSPCA under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 were put back by magistrates in Salisbury.

The case was put back until Wednesday because there was no suitably trained JP available to chair the court.

The allegations include causing unnecessary suffering by failing to provide a dog with a suitable environment; causing unnecessary suffering by failing to provide ready access to fresh water; causing unnecessary suffering by failing to protect a dog from injury or disease by not adequately grooming it; causing unnecessary suffering by failing to address skin and ear conditions; causing unnecessary suffering by failing to provide adequate veterinary care and attention for a dog with an ear problem and causing unnecessary suffering by failing to provide veterinary care for a dog with a skin condition.

Atkinson and Pepper ran boarding kennels and bred Hungarian pulis dogs at their home at Dollymixture Cottage in High Street in Burbage.

The pair each face six identical charges from August 2011 brought by the RSPCA which is represented by barrister Jeremy Cave.

Pepper is represented by Nigel Weller and Atkinson by Sara Lise-Howe.

Even though the changes were put to the couple as long ago as March the court was not in a position to proceed today because there was no suitably trained magistrate to act as chairman. Pepper and Atkinson are due back in court at 10am on Wednesday.