Braintree dog boarder sentenced after dog dies in the heat

A dog owner said she felt “rage and anger” after her family’s pet died in the care of an unlicensed boarder.

Hero, a six-year-old Leonberger who lived with the family in Felsted, Essex, was left unattended for what prosecutors described as a “significant” length of time and was not monitored for signs of overheating.

Charlotte Sutton, from Braintree, was given a 26-week prison sentence, suspended for two years, at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on 15 July, after being found guilty of causing an animal unnecessary suffering.

Leighanne Ship said her family still felt guilty for leaving their dog in Sutton’s care.

“We just feel so much rage and anger that someone could just blatantly lie with so much disrespect for the people they’re taking the money from, and then not delivering proper care of the animals at all,” she said.

Sutton was found guilty of a second offence – trading without the appropriate licence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

She was also ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work, to contribute £10,000 towards Braintree District Council’s prosecution costs and pay a victim surcharge of £154.