Border collie Arte. (0636230)
THE Van den Bossche family are disgusted that a kennel owner who told them their dog had run away when it was in fact dead has been fined just £400.
They are to pursue a civil case against 24-7 Petcare owner Jessica Valpied, who pleaded guilty in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday to stealing the carcass of a dog.
Arte, the border collie, was killed by two other dogs at her establishment and Valpied buried the animal and reported it missing after having told staff to keep quiet.
‘It is outrageous that she should get away with just a fine,’ said local surgeon Michael Van den Bossche. Speaking before the case, he said his family had been left distraught by the incident, which occurred while they were on holiday in France.
‘What happened was very upsetting and people should know about it. We thought everything was fine until the Tuesday. We got a call and were told he had escaped on the Sunday. We thought this was upsetting and we couldn’t get back from France to investigate. Lots of people were looking for our dog.’
Mr Van den Bossche said they received a call on 29 August, two weeks after leaving their dog at the kennels, informing them he was dead. ‘They had made up a story that he had escaped. It was a cruel and evil thing to do.
‘They didn’t tell us. We found out another way. It was the people who worked for 24-7 Petcare who came forward.
‘This sort of thing should never happen again. We have been told lies and stories have been concocted.
‘To lie to that extent is really bad.’
He said the issue was not just his dog, but how animals were treated in Guernsey.
He was grateful to everyone who had tried to find Arte and said he thought there was a need for boarding kennels to be regulated.
A spokeswoman for Animal Aid said it was not happy with the laws in place.
‘We are very upset by the outcome of this trial due to the fact that we haven’t got in place an animal welfare law, which calls for inspectors to inspect premises where people are boarding their animals on a regular basis.
‘Animal charities should be able to have some legislation behind them so we can go in ourselves and bring these cases to people’s minds. We just feel that justice hasn’t been done for the animal or the owner.’
But Jayne Le Cras of the GSPCA thought the outcome had been fair.
Valpied did not wish to comment.
Article posted on 14th October, 2008 - 2.29pm
27 Article Comments
I am a dog owner and I am disgusted at the deception that has surrounded this incident. We entrust the welfare of our animals with these people and expect them to take care and protect them in our absence. We have used 24/7 petcare for dog grooming and I’m sad to say that I do not intend on using them ever again, I have lost all faith in the company. I do not think that she should have gotten away with a fine but I think the justice will be seen in the amount of business that she loses.
I am shocked that Jessica Valpieds immediate thought was to tell staff to keep quiet as it would be “bad for business,” especially seeing as her recuitment page states, “24-7 Petcare Limited is always looking for reliable, honest, trustworthy, pet-loving people to join.” Quite ironic when the owner doesn’t even meet the criteria!
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I would agree that Ms Valpieds actions showed a decided lack of forethought or consequence; however, a comment must be made respective of the two dogs that attacked and killed Arte. Bull Terriers are often in the news concerning deadly attacks on other dogs and humans alike. Perhaps we should also be looking at the owners of these animals as somewhat responsible. The true story here is that Arte was viciously killed by dogs (that WILL attack again), not the actions of Ms Valpied
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I’m absolutely disgusted at this persons actions. Definitely should be struck off the business list!Also what action will be taken on the 2 dogs which mauled arte to death? Definitly a danger to the public!
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I too have often used 24-7, and they have always been reliable. Never again though. It’s not the death of a dog that puts me off – accidents can happen – it’s the deception. I won’t use someone I can no longer trust, and I imagine the same goes for most of her former customers.
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Was her action a spur of the moment response that she wil regret for the rest of her life.
She clearly was in a state of panic. Silly and foolish yes, but evil and disgusting is a little harsh.
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totally agree with you also stephen john, we`ve all done foolish things whilst in a panic!
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I will continue to trust Jessica with my dog. She has worked very hard to build her business and it is unfair that it should be ruined by one panic attack. I am sure she was soon sorry for her actions but was too deep into the lie to back out.
I am less forgiving of the politicians and civil servants who seem to get away with lies and bad judgement calls all to frequently and don’t even get fined.
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You go on Sheila and continue to use Valpied to look after your dog, all I can say is you must be MAD or quiet simply stupid..she would never be allowed to look after my dogs. She has lied once who is to say she won’t lie AGAIN and AGAIN, she should be struck off from having this sort of business.
Good luck Sheila with your Dog and I pray it won’t happen to you..
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What if the pitbulls had killed a young kid ?
How was the pitbulls allowed to get into other dog’s ?
Sounds like very careless management…
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I cant help but notice that you are all getting at this girl but what about the owners of the other dogs that DID THE ATTACK more to the point where are these dogs and are they going to be destroyed before a child gets attacked too? Its all too easy to stand on the side lines and comment but do you all have all the facts? I think not.
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anon, i dont have all the facts, hence i havent put anything negative, its all to easy to find yourself on the end of a witch hunt in guernsey. and to be fair even if i did know all the facts i still dont think i`d post a negative comment after all none of us are angels are we?
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I have had Jessica look after my cats and thought she was a very responsible person and really had a feeling for animals. I think that she made a mistake on her decision to bury the dog and not own up to what had happened. But reading some of the comments on the articule have made me glad that Guernsey does not have hanging anymore, or some of you would have had her strung up by now. Also I see mention of Pit Bulls where in the whole thing are pit bulls mentioned there were Staffie crosses, and yes I agree as she had to keep quiet about the dead dog then these dogs are still on the streets. If the owner of the dead dog had not been such a prominent person but someone from the Boet estate would this have made the papers and been such a story. As it has been said before the Guernsey Press has delusions of being like the Sun god help us all.
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I agree Brodie i live in guernsey i now how people are these days its a sad state of affairs its a shame really
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Looks like a witch hunt but the usual animal nutters. The girl made a mistake and exacerbated it by attempting to cover it up. Now we have some emotional doctor, with a lot of money, running around threatening legal action on a young lady. ‘Evil’? Get a grip. She’s not evil, a mistake, became a cover up, became a lie and now a conviction. Give her a break. Rose West is evil – the best that can be levied at Miss Valpied, is naive or silly.
Miss Valpied could apologise, and the doctor could wind his neck in a bit.
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We all lie one point in our life, eg when your late for work what do you say to your boss. So some people get found out and some do not. That life! I feel very sorry for Jessica, she is a young person. Just think all the good she has done for this island. She has done ONE thing wrong.
Best friends about a year or so, took a pill bull terrier to the children park and a poor man got his leg ATTACK what happened about that?
The dog is dead and there is nothing, no one can do.
There is better thing to think about, like what happening to the Banks and our jobs.
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at the end of the day this girl was trusted with someones beloved pet and she allowed it to be brutally killed if you have ever seen an animal that has been attacked by another dog these stupid people who say she made a mistake i feel would change there thoughts on her she should be struck off or the gspca should do spot checks on these kennels to check that she is doing everything right . if these young girl new what she was doing she would never allowed to lots off dogs which she was warned didnt like other dogs to be so close to one another .and she still hasnt learnt by her mistake as she still allows dogs that she walks “!supposidley” jump over a field hedge in st martins and atack my dog when i am out walking .
and for the small minded people who think only bull terriors attack what aload rubbish i have 2 and have always been broughtr up with my 5 children and i would trust more than with alabrador so dont knock them till you meet the breed because that to me is no differnt than racism !
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“knock them till you meet the breed because that to me is no differnt than racism !”
Are you so inadequate that you can manage to change an unfortunate set of events into a race issue?
Racism? A dog?
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thanks jackie ,no not in adequate just fed up with small minded people who think all types off dogs ie staffy bull terriors are all killers and violent dogs and may be if you had two off the killer staffies,that when they are being walked every day, either on alead or off get silly people lifting there children up out the way u to would be a little cheesed off with them always being blamed. . there is only one person to blame in this and that the so called dog carer,who if had bothered to listen to the owners off these dogs who told her and the staff that dont get on with other dogs this poor family wouldnt have returned to there family home with out there family pet
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I agree with both of Jackie’s comments which are objective and sensible.
Whatever happened to forgiveness and understanding? In a moment of panic on finding the body of Arte, the young kennel owner perhaps made an on the spot decision that ignorance was bliss, and buried the body of the dog, told the owners that the dog had run away and asked staff not to say anything. She must have known deep down that the real story would eventually come out, but which of us could honestly say that we would not have panicked in a similar situation?
Quite what the eminent surgeon Dr Van den Bossche believes is going to be achieved by pursuing a civil case only he and his family know. Has he never made a mistake in his life? It will no doubt cost an absolute fortune in legal fees and end up with the witch hunt of a young naive girl. Whilst I agree that she should be punished, and perhaps sent for retraining, the real problem at the heart of this is that the island does not have animal protection laws. 2 wrongs do not make a right.
The Van den Bossche family now have the opportunity to give their beloved pet a decent burial. I also hope that the 2 dogs who killed Arte have been destroyed as they are obviously dangerous.
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well i can tell you all that she will not do it again!! i work for her adn it was a decision of the moment!!! i was involved in all of this and i am actually disgusted in most of these posts!! do you even know her…. all of you should know that newspapers make it fit them most!!! the dogs didnt get into the other dogs kennel, all three of them escaped!!! and like some of you have said it was a mistake!!!! they happen to everyone! and if they dont then you are stupid.. and i can also tell you all know that everysingle kennel is being properly refurbished, painted properly, every kennel made bigger, and all the doors removed and replaced properly!!!! so all of you find someone else to pick on, as jess is actually not the bad person you all make her out to be!!
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also the two dogs are not bad as i know them well and they were threatened and so acted as a pack!! both those dogs are lovely as i played with them everyday when they were in during the summer!! so do not refer to the two dogs as evil and dangerous as they are far from it!!!
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YEAH RIGHT CAT IS THAT WHY THEY ATTACKED AND KILLED ANOTHER DOG COZ THEY ARE NOT DANGEROUS WAKE UP FOR GOODNESS SAKE YOUR COMMENT REALLY IS SILLY
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finally!! well done Cat for putting the record straight and stopping all these nasty, vindictive posts!
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Cat do you have something in your eyes?? Or are you just plain stupid??
The dogs are DANGEROUS and proved to be..so just let it go now if Valpied is closed down then it’s because she brought all this on herself..
I bet all the kennels are being updated as you said, but a little late for that ha..should have been done in the beginning..It won’t bring Arte back will it..
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also before any1 with there petty comment wants to say ant u made a mistake, yep i made many thank u but never anything like this the emosional trauma the owners must have suffered must have been horrible dogs are family pets and almost like children to many people, u tell me how jessica would be acting if arte was her dog!! i’ld like to say jessica is lucky arte wern’t my dog cause she wouldn’t be getting away with just a 400hundred pound fine if he was, i’ll tell ya that now!!!
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i think that miss valpied was not thing straight and was unsure what to do. I feel very sorry for Jessica, she is a young person. Just think all the good she has done for this island. She has made one mistake and has paided the price. i think she deserves another chance. i also did works experenice with her a few years ago and she was very professonal
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racing, she may have been professonal and she may have won pet sitter of the year in 2005, she aint done anything to benifit me i have my views on this and i think personally she should have here kennel licence revoked like i said before what if it was your dog, i excepte that artes death was an accident but taking his body to a field to bury, cleaning the kennels, and telling all staff to lie and say that atre ran off well how is that a mistake!!!!! she is young but that is not an exuce, i’m younger then her but i know what is right and wrong she should to i have no sympathy for this girl what so ever she is lucky she has got of with a £400 fine! it should have been more alot more and how is taking money of this girl gonna teach her anything!!
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