An unlicensed dog boarder has been spared jail after a family pet died when left unattended on a hot day.
What happened
Charlotte Sutton, 26, left Hero, a 10.5-stone Leonberger, alone at her property in Braintree, Essex for a 'significant period'. She was operating as a home dog boarder without a licence despite repeated attempts by Braintree District Council to explain the legal requirements.
Court proceedings
Sutton was prosecuted by the council and appeared before District Judge Williams at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on July 15. She was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and pleaded guilty to carrying out an animal boarding business without a licence.
Sentence and impact
Sutton received a 26-week prison sentence, suspended for two years. She was ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work, pay £10,000 towards prosecution costs, and a £154 victim surcharge.
Hero's owner, Leighanne Ship, said after sentencing: 'We are incredibly grateful to Braintree District Council for taking on this case and pursuing it through to a successful prosecution. Whilst nothing will ever bring Hero back, we finally have justice for him and some measure of closure. We hope Hero's story serves as a reminder of the importance of using properly licensed animal boarding providers and of the immense responsibility that comes with caring for someone else's beloved pet. If sharing our experience prevents even one family from suffering the heartbreak, uncertainty and anguish that we have endured, then Hero's legacy will continue to protect others.'
