AFORMER pet shop owner banned from having animals for the next 10 years has been told he can keep his pet dogs!

And Rob Ralphson, who ran Leigh's longest-established pet shop, says he only pleaded guilty to cruelty charges because of spiralling legal bills.

Mr Ralphson, 42, who ran Pet's Corner in Queen Street, said he pleaded guilty to permitting or causing unnecessary suffering to a capuchin monkey and an iguana because he faced bills of £6,000 if he continued with a not guilty plea.

Last December he was banned from holding a pet shop licence for 10 years after he shut up shop for a week and went on holiday, leaving a regular -- but under-age -- helper in charge of feeding the animals.

Last week in a case brought by the RSPCA he was ordered to do 270 hours community service by Leigh magistrates. They also banned him from keeping any animal for 10 years . . . but he has been allowed to keep his pet dogs, because of their age.

It means 'Mac', the parrot which has been in the family for 32 years, 'Cocky', his 50-odd year-old cockatoo, and his cat have had to be found new homes. But his dogs, nine-year-old Gyzmo and 13-year-old Max, can stay. He said: "Over 5,460 people came in to my shop to sign a petition of support. Local people know the truth, I wasn't cruel. Sinbad was bred in a laboratory in Scotland and would have been used for testing cosmetics but I bought him and he became a loved and well cared for member of the family.

"We used to take him home every night for about eight years until we were told we would be prosecuted if we carried on as our dangerous animal licence only covered Sinbad in the shop. So we let Sinbad have the run of the store above. I admit the room was a mess but he had the run of a 40 foot room.

"As for the rubbish talked about him being fed on Mars bars and fizzy drinks, he used to have a small amount of chocolate as a treat and a small carton of still Ribena.

"There was never any cruelty. A month before I went for a week's holiday I contacted the RSPCA to find a suitable home for Sinbad and they recommended Monkey World in Dorset. It was arranged for them to come and pick up Sinbad at my request. He was not taken off me -- it was completely my decision.

" I was asked to administer him with a sleeping drug supplied by a vet. Once Sinbad was taken out of his cage he was put in to a pet carrier and taken to Manchester Airport. The photograph of him shows Sinbad sedated in his transportation box. People got the wrong impression from that. Talk of there being dead animals in the shop and some eating others is nonsense."