Her animals have been checked up on. When one of the cats was attacked by one of the dogs, she had messages from Celia Hammond pronto.
Her animals are not animals to her - they are her family, siblings, kids, friends etc and that's why she can't and doesn't give them up in their own best interests and she will happily spend a fortune she hasn't got on them at the vets (see Lizzie, the ex racehorse).
If she did care about them, she would have given Prudence back to her actual owner as soon as she asked, but she kept her out of spite, which is why David was entirely right to take her. Just hope he gives her to DD!