AN ANIMAL lover who has two goats, eight rabbits, five dogs, four cats, a parrot and a sheep in her Richmond home has been warned by landlords that she will be evicted if she doesn't get rid of her sheep.

Daryl Thomas, 40, has been keeping the sheep outside her Gainsborough Road home for the last eight and a half years. But landlords Richmond Housing Partnership have told her that if she doesn't get rid of it by September 19th, they will serve notice on her.

The mother-of-four says she uses the animals for special purposes like school visits and visits to homes for the elderly and her landlords have never complained before.

She said: "I have been using my animals for educational purposes for many years now and I don't see how all of a sudden I have to get rid of them. I go to schools and elderly citizen homes.

"RHP has said that they were okay all along, but they arrived unexpectedly on my doorstep on a particularly bad day for me and my family and after this visit, the order came through. There have been complaints about the smell of the animals but all you can smell is the disinfectant I use."

Richmond Housing Partnership claim Ms Thomas does not have a licence to move animals and the City of London Animal Health Authority ordered the removal.

This is something Ms Thomas denies.

A spokesman from RHP said: "This property has a long history. The resident claims she uses the animals for educational purposes but she is using them illegally as you need a licence to move animals, a licence she does not have.

"On the property there are two sheep, two goats, eight rabbits, five dogs, four cats and one parrot.

"We have had a number of complaints from residents concerning the smell and visits by the City of London Health Authority inspectors found that the animals were not being looked after properly.

The owner is causing nuisance to the other residents.

We asked her on August 29th to remove the sheep. She has until September 19th to comply.''