Second dog dies while with local petcare firm
Monday 17th January 2011, 2:30PM GMT.
Claire Lofts, 22, who was attending the golden retriever when it strangled itself in a grooming noose. (Picture supplied by 24-7 Petcare owner Jessica Valpied)
A DOG strangled to death while being groomed by an employee of local company 24-7 Petcare, it has been confirmed.
It is the second animal to die in the company’s care.
Miss Valpied said she was deeply saddened by the latest incident, which happened on 23 December.
But without seeing a report from a vet at Isabelle Vets Ltd she could not comment on the circumstances or if the dog had been strangled, as she was not present during the incident.
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Another sad story for ANOTHER dog and it’s owners.
What I can’t understand Miss Lofts said she did not leave the dog alone but if this dog did not like being groomed and had a grooming noose around it neck to keep it still.Then I guess you would know if you where strangling this dog as he would not be moving so much as his life was being drained from him. If this was my dog I would not let this rest here.
Maybe I am speaking out of term here but Is a 22 year old older enough to run a company while the owner was on M leave?
Im sure Miss Loft is going through a lot right now.But this should not have happened.
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OK, I’ll start this one, and I will acknowledge that it is based only on the facts as reported in today’s press.
2006 – National Association, in their words, strike 24/7 off, but the owner still continues to trade off their name.
2008 – a dog dies and the owner instigates an elaborate cover up to which she later pleads guilty.
2010 – a dog dies in the care of an employee of the owner (hence the owner is still reponsible – you can delegate tasks, but not responsibility). The owner then provides the Press with a photo of the poor employee.
The above events go quite some way to helping me form my opinion on the integrity, honesty and general character of the (now part-) owner.
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How on Earth can this sort of thing happen again?
I can only imagine how devastated the owner of the Dog must be I would be inconsolable!
This is a terrible story,i have felt upset about it since reading it If she has ANY customers after this episode then you only have yourselves to blame.
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Why would somebody leave their dog with a company that has had previous cases of dogs dying? Pet owners should really do some research before leaving animals with strangers.
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I find it funny how Jessica Valpied has dobbed her own employee in by supplying the photo!
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I would be more interested in seeing a photograph of the firms owner, who ultimately should take full respnsibility over the incident. With regard to the age of the young employee. She may be young, but this does mean that she is incapable of running a business.
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Clearly there is evidence that another poor unfortunate animal has died while in the care of 24/7 petcare and this needs to be fully investigated. However it also said in the Press that the owner had not made a complaint so I suspect that hands are tied until this happens.
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Della, Billythefish – poor animal welfare legislation. What PAW are campaigning for. A business like this should have regular checks and robust training for it’s employee’s. If this was the UK I’m sure the owner would be facing a heft fine/imprisonment and the business closed down and that would have been after the first incident!
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I THINK 24/7 PETCARE SHOULD BE CLOSED DOWN NOW THIS HAS HAPPEND. ONCE IS BAD ENOUGH BUT TWICE IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH.HER REPUTATION NOW STINKS
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This is beyond belief. And so upsetting. I really don’t know what to say. Maybe JV should close herself down and get on with looking after her baby.
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I cant believe this has happened AGAIN my heart goes out to the dogs owners I Iused to have my dogs groomed by 24/7 and dread to think how they were restrained I just hope they were not mistreated and strung up so tight that they could have been in the same position as this poor dog .I just hope they are not allowed to continue to look after peoples beloved pets.They are not responsible enough to be trusted twice in 2 years beggars belief.I hope pet owners will think twice before using this company .
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How can this company be allowed to continue trading?? The sooner these types of businesses are licensed the better so the good ones can continue to trade.
In the meantime, I hope this second tragic event will mean 24-7′s customers will finally walk away from this business.
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Mark
A picture of the owner is on page 2 of the paper.
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Two dogs is two deaths too many.
I feel for the bound and helpless victims!
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CLOSE THE PLACE DOWN!!!
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I hope the girl pictured isn’t subject to any abuse due to this story and having her picture printed!
Does anyone know the details of this story? I don’t understand why the dog owners have not sued the Company.
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Your all quick to close this business down to “give the betters ones a chance” in somebodys words but, if i remember rightly when this company was started there was alot of press about JVs past experiance at these better places,where by all accounts she was very good, she then started up the company which has won awards and obviously gained alot of trust in people, is it possible JV just needs to get her heart back in it and work herself, it must be very hard to still care about something that you put alot of effort into only for competition (Gspca) to completly run you down through the media.
Just incase you all choose to have ago at me, i don’t know JV and im not surgesting that whats happened isnt serious, i just feel as a locally started company, by a local person we should encourage her to do it right and build trust again, if you don;t trust the company don’t use it.
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@Mark ”
She may be young, but this does mean that she is incapable of running a business”
I think the fact that a dog died while in her care, while being groomed, pretty much sums up that she is incapable of running a business.
24/7 should close, one death is too many, two is unnacceptable, though at least this one wasn’t covered up!
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The thing is Bloggs, that’s already happened once….
That said, one thing I don’t quite understand is this:
We have the Pet Sitter association saying they told her she was “struck off” four years ago….
Search this site and you will find, in relation to the previous incident, a quote from them, in 2008, saying “we’ve not had any complaints”.
So, did you get any or did you not – which is true?
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I have used 24/7 once. The same girl pictured groomed my dog. She did an excellent job. (Although >£40 was a bit of a shock!)
The worrying part though is that it’s all done in the back of a big Transit van, and when I asked if I could watch, was told no.
Needless to say I won’t be using them – or any – grooming service again. I’d rather have a dirty/scruffy but alive dog, than the alternative. In the majority of cases the dog obviously survives, but irresepective it seems that the contraption used to secure the dog causes unnecessary distress.
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It’s upsetting to know that people are still leaving their pets with her.
What i don’t understand is how this happened on 23rd December but early new year she was advertising Miss Lofts puppies on local forums on “behalf of a friend” surely if this had happened she would no longer want anything to do with her let alone helping her sell puppies?
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Bloggs
She won an award back in 2005, true. JV may have been a good pet sitter back in 2005, but its clear that she cannot be trusted anymore, yes technically she was on maternity leave when this latest tragedy occurred, but its still her business and she has responsibility for what goes on.
Maybe you are correct in that she had a skill for looking after animals, but she certainly does not have a skill in running a business. Surely if you venture into this, you do it for the love of animals not of money.
Also I would strongly dispute that the GSPCA are her competition, they are not. The GSPCA are an animal welfare charity. 24/7 are a pet sitting/ grooming business.
The GSPCA have a duty to “run her down” if she is putting profit ahead of the animals (that she makes money from) welfare. In the UK, the RSPCA would have closed 24/7 down by now, the GSPCA have no such authority (alas, the lack of animal welfare laws……..) so the press is their biggest weapon.
This highlights 2 issues, 1 people should not put money before animal welfare, and 2, how desperately this island needs animal welfare laws.
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It is unfair to pass negative comment on this until the full circumstances come out. I realise Jessica has a tarnished reputation due to the first dogs unfortunate demise and especially the circumstances surrounding it…however, had that first incident not happened would everyone be so willing to slate the company so quickly and harshly. I am well aware that it did happen before anyone jumps on my comment but you have to consider that people make mistakes.
I feel some sympathy for Claire Lotts as she is only young and probably panicked. A panicking dog definitely can’t be reasoned with so let’s at least let her have her say before we all ‘put the boot in’. She must be feeling devastated and if, as i hope it turns out it was an accident, she is still going to have to carry this animals distress and demise with her. Being involved in something so awful whilst stil young will probably play over and over in her mind, so as outraged as you may be please don’t point the finger at her until the story is set out in full. As for Jessica delegating, she has to as she has a business to run, however, i do feel it was pretty harsh to supply a photo to the press and should step up to protect her employee.
My cat means a lot to me and if he was mistreated i would be bloody angry so i feel for the pets owners, however their reluctance to press charges maybe reflects the situation as they will be in full possession of the facts, or at least what they were told.
I would like to say i do not know any 24/7 owners or employees so i can hand on heart say i have tried to be objective with my opinion.
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I know people who do dog grooming and the harnesses used are to stand the dog up so it can be groomed properly and safely (safley for the dog and the groomer). Unfortunately in this case, the dog was on the table with the harness around it’s neck and jumped off. Dog’s should not be left unattended while tied up on a high table.
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Damo
Yes you are correct, we wouldn’t have as negative a view on this had the first dog not died.
But what i found most surprising were the comments from the agency that removed her business from its register, if you get a chance to read the article in full from yesterdays press please do, as it suggests that the 2 deaths are just the 2 “press worthy” incidents.
I agree that we shouldn’t be picking on Claire here, she must be distraught, she wasn’t fully qualified yet and was obviously untrained and if what Sam has posted is what actually happened, then it shows a chronic lack of training and oversight.
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I do feel it is a bit sad to have this girls pitured on the front of the press for all to see. Im sure she is feeling really bad for what has happened and I did feel leaving a 22 year old to run a business is a bit young (that’s what I think) but to piture her I hope she does not get any stick over this from outsiders as we all know what Guernsey is like. Sad story.
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I feel no sympathy for Ms Lofts – although the owner of the business retaines ultimate responsibility for the welfare of her clients animals, the person doing the handling of the animal is equally responsible for its well being!
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MT stated that “The worrying part though is that it’s all done in the back of a big Transit van, and when I asked if I could watch, was told no.”
Not allowing someone to view their dog being groomed IS worrying! That fact right there shows that they indeed knew their methods would not be approved by the owner. If they weren’t doing anything wrong then why hide? Why the secrecy? Again.
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@ all above,
I have used 24/7 for years and will continue to use the services offered. I can assure you they are as good if not better than some of the alternatives in Guernsey. Do you really think that only 2 animals/dogs have died whilst in the care of a third party in Guernsey? I can assure you that this is not the case; animals die! The only reason why this has made the news is because of the way the owner dealt with the first instance, had it not been for that we would have never heard about it.
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Eh —
You are to be excused for your comment as you clearly have never made a mistake in your life. I should dearly like to know your full name and address so that you and the other self-righteous characters on this post might be monitored in regard to their angelic life! This is a classic case of GUILTY until proven INNOCENT, it’s a great shame that the photo was used for publication, at least at this stage.
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@ Bored of you lot
Read all the comments before making such a sweeping statement. I think you’ll find there are several people sympathetic and ojective to the situation
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Eh – I agree with Sarah, Ormerman and others – its far too early for ANY of us to judge Ms Lofts as we only have the Press report which is never the full story!!
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Yet another instance of the “judge first find out facts later” attitude we so often see on Guernsey.
I feel sorry for this young lady – this should never have made the front page and would not have if it wasn’t for the previous totally unrelated case involving 24/7.
Not only has she been declared guilty by association by the Guernsey mob but even if she did act negligently, as an animal lover (I can’t imagine any other reason to apply for a job at a pet care firm) she must be devastated enough without having her photo splattered over the front page and being subjected to a witch hunt.
All I can say is thank God we don’t all have every mistake we make at work made into a front page headline.
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Bored of You Lot
I think you should win post of the year for that.
A dog died in the care of 24/7. JV buried this dog and said it ran off.
And you intimate that it was the owners fault it made the news.
Spare us Jessica please!!
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@ damo,
I have to admit, on this occasion I failed to review all the comments before my post, I was annoyed at the ignorance which appears to be surfeit on this site,and it just got me going. 100% agree with your comments.
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Just for clarification, I hope people understood from my first post that I feel very sorry for Miss Lofts.
There are comments about having her pic plastered all over the front page. That was supplied by the owner, who it SEEMS has made attempts to distance herself from a tragic event that is her responsibility as owner of the business. Coupled with the other apparent faults, I would question the integrity of the business.
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@ Bored of you lot – pretty sure it would still be as bad without the previous hiding of a death. I agree, many animals do die while in third party care however, how many of them were strangled to death and left alone in the back of a van.
I feel sorry for the girl as it happened on her time, however if an animal is being groomed, surely theres no need to leave it alone? if the grooming was finished wouldnt it be removed from the van and given back to the owner?
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I am sorry but the young girl is still possibly capable of running a business. I, and you do not know whether she received appropriate training for the task at hand. The girl has to accept a part in what happened, but without approriate training in how to deal with this sort of situation this could have happened to any number of people. You do not know the girls intelligence, it is unfair to say she cannot be left in charge of, or run a business given the correct training. However I will concede generally to run somebody elses firm, you should have a level of experience. Di- Thanks for the photo advice, can only read online so wasn’t able to view.
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I just wonder if this story is of such interest because she made a mistake in business or is it because a dog died?.
While it is sad for the owners of the dog how many people who comment eat meat and not know how the animals have been treated prior to there death only for us to sit around at meal times and comment on how nice they taste.
What about the cat owners? do you know just how many little creatures they tear apart each and every week? dont forget your responsible for them and what they do.
Would this have even made the news if it had been a mouse or the like?.
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Anyone who has dealt with an animal having a panic attack (as small as a cat or as large as a cow) must know how quickly they can happen.
Sad outcome is not always good for either handler or animal.
I feel so sorry for the dog’s owner, for many losing a pet is like losing a partner.
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Sam, do you know for sure that the dog jumped off the table?
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@ Dave
You have made an interesting comment today – owners not suing – second dog dying in the care of Ms valpied’s establishment.
Reminds me of previous GEP articles ref Mr van den Bossche, whose poor family pet dog died, and was secretly buried, etc – he threatened to sue, what became of that?
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MT stated she wanted to watch her dog being groomed but was told no and she found this worrying .It was probably due to insurance cover usually the cover is for the person working in the van only and not third parties so this is not unusual to refuse.As for the restraints every groomer uses the same we do not string them up they are loosely secured for their safety .Please do not tar others with the same brush their are some very caring ,considerate and loving groomers who take a lot of care with other peoples pets.Also dog grooming vans are kitted out with the proper equipment to groom dogs profesionaly
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poor dog it does not bear thinking about so so sad .Two deaths too many shame on you 24/7.
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I Feel for the owners of the dog and Miss Loft and I am NOT saying this is how it actually happened but purely speculating from my own experience at dealing with a panicked dog.
Having dealt with a friends panicking dog that was caught up in barbed wire years ago (it didn’t die luckily and i still have a few scars to show for it), I know how terrifying this kind of situation can be. Sadly being left on your own and underqualified to know exactly how to handle a dog that doesn’t like being groomed, Miss Lofts, (who doesn’t look to me like a big person), was probably trying to deal with a large writhing, twisting, choking, frightened animal, which was probably trying to bite her because it was so panicked.
With hindsight, the dog was known to be skitish at being groomed and, i hate to say it but, this should have been dealt with earlier. I know some groomers ask for the owner to be present to help keep the dog calm but this doesn’t always work so sometimes it is wiser to refuse to work on such an animal. Maybe if J.V ever gets her business back she and her staff could adopt this stance and obtain professional advice/training on how to teach dogs to behave when being groomed and maybe pass tips on to owners who can then put them into practice at home and get the dog used to being handled in such a way. It would certainly cut the chances of something like this happening again.
Sadly, in my view, this accident appears at the moment to be a culmination of lack of experience on the businesses side and a lack of training on the owners part…. sorry but it has to be said in all fairness. :)
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Well only having just read this story I am appalled by what has happened , twice at that!
The calls for closure of this business are somewhat redundant are they not, as who would send their pet to this company now? erm no one with any love of animals i would say.
I would say 24/7 has been put to sleep and not before time,before it happens again.
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Anne – This is just what I have heard. Although I do know who the owners are as a friend works with them, so I assume they told my friend.
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Whilst there are many varied opinions given above, the fact that Miss V is ultimately responsible for any activities in relation to her business cannot be denied. If Miss L knowingly did not follow company procedures taught to her then she must share some of the blame. However, if she was doing the job as she had been taught and was following 24-7′s procedures that raises the question of whether or not 24-7′s procedures and training are of a suitable standard. If they are, this can only be put down to an unfortunate accident. If they are not, it could imply negligence on the part of 24-7′s owners as they are prepared for there business to operate in a manner which may cause incidents sauch as this. The only way for this matter to be settled in the eyes of the public woulod be for Miss V, at her expense, to invite an RSPCA Inspector to visit the island and carry out an independent investigation into the dog’s death and into Miss V’s grooming, petcare and kennels operations with the findings made public. If those findings were positive, the public can have confidence in her businesses. If the findings were negative or if 24-7 was not prepared to clear it’s name in such a way then the public could decide for themselves whether or not to use its services based upon factual, objective information.
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close it down, TWO deaths in the space of a couple of years is too many….why is she getting any custom in the first place is beyond me????
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Sam’s posts are priceless! First he/she states as fact that the dog jumped off the table. Then, when questioned about the source of the information, the reply [with comments inserted by me] was:
“This is just what I have heard. [I don't actually know for certain]
Although I do know who the owners are as a friend works with them, so I assume they told my friend [I know who the owners are, my mate works with them. My mate told me the story, I don't know where they heard it from as they didn't tell me but I presume she heard from the owners.]”
Unbelievable! Perhaps if we stuck to corroborated facts rather than unsubstantiated third hand gossip we might have a better idea what actually went on!
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JV maybe good with animals but I don’t think she can run a business. I don’t understand why people work for her. She expects them to be loyal to her when something goes wrong by lying about the first dogs death but she then has the gumption to send a photo of her employee to the press!! unbelievable!! loyalty works both ways JV!
I think the Staff should boycott her! that would make her take stock, organise herself and get the business running safely and smoothly.
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My mother used 24/7 a few times, once for kenneling – when the dog came back with funny marks on it, consistent with it being pressed for a long time against rusty bars. Twice for clipping, but each time it came out in an infectious rash.
These alone aren’t grounds for suspicion of poor practice, but since then I’ve met someone who used to work there and left in disgust at what she found going on.
Roll on the animal welfare laws.
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DOnt forget about JVs horse that also died!! |This seems like some unfortunate accidents that should never of happened. As you have said the dog MUST have been left unattended, otherwise i’d think its pretty easy to tell if a dog is going to die!!
Knowing the owner of the dog im sure he will see her closed down. I hate saying this but I think its a case of ‘money talks’
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A similar thing happened to me once.
The vet examined my old dog and pronounced him dead.
I was distraught and asked if there was anything else he could do.
The vet there was one last possibility and he left the room for a moment and came back carrying a large cage with a cat in it. He opened the cage door and the cat walked over to the dog. The cat sniffed the dog from head to toe and walked back to the cage.
“Well, that confirms it.” he said announced. “Your dog is dead.”
Satisfied that the vet had done everything he possibly could I asked how much I owed him. “£600.00 he replied”
I asked why it was so expensive and he explaied it was £40.00 for the examination and £560.00 for the cat scan.
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I am at a loss to understand why some of the comments on here are seen as a vendetta against Jessica & Claire. After all it was in their care the dog was entrusted and so they have to take full responsibilty for it’s death.
Firstly, JV for allowing an unqualified groomer access to her clients dogs without supervision. A professional groomer is not just someone that gives a’cut and blow dry’. They should also have an understanding of dog behaviour, this would enable them to deal with each dog as an individual, especially if it was nervous.
Secondly, CL was the person responsible for the welfare of the dog in her care. If she was not able to manage the dog she should have stopped and returned him to the owner explaining the problem. JV said she had been ‘caring for the dog for more than 5 years’, surely if it was that difficult she would have been aware so why was it a problem this time with CL?
It has been suggested in a previous comment that the dog jumped of the table, in which case where was CL when this happened? This does not ring true with the newspaper article as the owner said she was not aware the dog was left unattended, CL also said she had the dog on the table. The other alternative is the grooming noose CL used was slowly tightening around the dogs neck, especially if it was struggling, until it finally collapsed due to lack of oxygen. That would be a very distressing and a long drawn out way for the dog to die. I note CL declined to say if the dog was distressed, I wonder why?
As for the comment made by Sir P B about ‘every mistake we make at work made into a front page headline’. Yes we do all make mistakes, but a dead dog, someones beloved family pet, is not a mistake that can ever be rectified. It should never have happened and hopefully whoever is responsible will not be allowed in a position of trust again.
I agree with Sensible’s comment that the matter should be taken up by the GSPCA/RSPCA to conduct an independent investigation.
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if she treats dogs in this manner… then i am glad i am not one of her children, she is a selfish woman how on earth did she get a licence, ????????
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J/V IS INCAPABLE OF RUNNING A BUSINESS please dont take your pets there lets not here of a third death on a INNOCENT ANIMAL.
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lol good one Betty.
Lucy – makes no difference. Nobody’s arguing it is a sad time for the owners but it still should not have been made into a front page headline until, at the very least, all the facts are known – by an independent inquiry (as you suggest) if possible.
If you want to know why I think that, take a look at some of the speculation, gossip and over-emotional drivel being posted here.
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Has she found the little pommy dog that she lost (NO IT WAS NEVER FOUND) where is it jesica how many more incidents have been brushed under the carpet.
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I don’t understand. Surely there must have been some kind of mechanism where if the pet starts panicking and choking/suffocating itself – or if they have jumped and are hanging themself, the groomer can release it from a distance to prevent this? If this wasn’t available or wasn’t applied this is negligence on behalf of the business owner.
Poor doggy – the owners must be distraught.
I’ll stick to walking our beastie on the beach and pavement to keep down her paws, give her a good swim every few days to keep her “clean”, and groom her myself by hand when I need to – she considers it an extention of cuddle-time anyway! I’ll take this as a lesson never to leave her alone with anyone who sees her as a “punter”; beloved friend/patient yes, customer, no.
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Just ONE suspicious, covered up death of a pet in this companies care, plus the not so favorable critique of her kennels (both stories VERY well publicised), was enough to persuade me that I would never, EVER entrust a beloved pet into their care, and quite frankly, it is beyond me why ANYONE would choose to continue to use their services….
yes, I believe that they should be investigated and quite possibly shut down, but rather than demanding (and depending on) the authorities to do something, why don’t we all just shut them down ourselves by voting with our feet (paws), people, and quite simply…
DON’T USE THEM.
No customers, no income, no company.
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Firstly i strongly agree with everyone who is saying that Clair has been treated appalling by Jessica! The poor girl must be feeling awful and ultimatelt Jessica needs to take responsibility herself as the company owner and not eagerly be passing the buck. Secondly we are not in possession of all the facts so a lot of what is being said is speculation but regardless of how this tragic event occured it has resulted in the uneccessary death of an innocent animal. Thirdly I am afraid that there have been too many incidents involved with Jessica for this to just be an unlucky accident.
I understand very well that in the pet care bussiness you are always going to get percentage of animals that die whilst in your care but i would expect this to be of natural causes. So to all the people out there saying that it is unfair to judge her, If one of your family members had gone into a nursing home then you may well expect them to die in the future of old age or natural causes but i am sure you wouldn’t be too pleased to find that they had been starved to death or had been strangled by their own drip. In fact i am sure you would see this as neglegence
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Aloved pet a mistake that cannot be put right not once but twice surely any true animal lover will not risk their pets in her care I KNOW I WONT.
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as an ex employee of 24/7 petcare and not proud of that after what has happend.the public do not know all that goes on. i know that jessica kept rabbits in a dark shed in not very good conditions and this is supposed to be an animal lover.the rabbits i believe never saw the light of day.this person is only interested in making as much money as she can.she should be stopped or if given another chance have regular checks by gspca it so sad that it has come to this but greed has taken over
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Leave the poor girl alone.
Claire is the one in the wrong!!! She the one that was with the dog. not JV!!!!
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May I ask a question of those that have commented on this matter to clarify if I am understanding Guernsey law, or should I say lack of it regarding animal welfare.
Perhaps I should say I am not an Islander and live in the UK. I was told about this by a friend on the island who thought I would be interested due to my background with dogs over the past 30+ years, both as a hobby, which necessitated grooming for showing and my work for 10 years as a Veterinary Assistant, which has involved handling all kinds of dogs. Forgive me for the resume but I feel I am drawing on my knowledge to help me understand this.
My question – is it corrct that there are no animal welfare laws, licensing or any regulations regarding setting up kennels in Guernsey? If this had happened in the UK by now the Local Authority, Trading Standards and the RSPCA would have been involved to investigate. If this is the case then who is responsible for the investigation and how is anyone expected to resolve it?
I totally agree that the only way to make your own personal feelings known is not to use the business at all. My concern with that is in a couple of years will it have all been forgotten and yet again another tragedy could happen. Surely if there is no Regulatory body on the island to turn to is it not time for something to be done about this?
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Has anyone mentioned the Horse (May) that also died in her care ?
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Get a life pete ozanne. I seen the way you look after your horse. So stop picking on people.
This has nothing to do with this story.
Also leave JV alone.
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I’ve just had a look at the 24/7 website. In the recruitment section it says that all applicants, if successful, will have to undergo a police check. I wonder if a conviction for stealing a dog carcass would stop them from being employed?
This woman is clearly unfit to run the business, it’s disgraceful that she’s allowed to continue. How many more animals need to die in her care before she is stopped?
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Jane
Ridiculous post, so you support JV in her scapegoating this young girl then??
JV has ultimate responsibility for that dogs death, if she doesnt realise that, she should not be running a business.
I’m sure you’d spin JV’s other indiscretions as “someone elses fault” too!
Sad.
The horse carer
Erm, petes post DOES have something to do with this story, because its more evidence that someone who runs an animal care business, cannot look after animals.
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@Ormerman
What is your problem. People can post what there like on here. good or bad.
Pete Ozanne post has nothing to do with story.
I have used the services of 24/7 a lot and I would say I had a 100% service with the company. Best company i used on this island for pet care.
Keep up the good work jessica. your the best animal carer i know. :-)
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and you are all so clever…take a good look at your posts, shame on you all.
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I worked as a canine beautician for 25 yeras. No animals were injured whilst in my care.This is totally unacceptable. Today there is very little training given to people who work in this trade,and they can easily get false qualifications to post on their wall from the internet. I had t train for 4 years before being considered capable. There needs to be more control over animal care. Most peoples dogs are a part of a family and the loss through negligence causes unbelievable pain. Come on States shut her down.
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i think that that that poor girls photo should noot hav e been put on the press. this was done to make jv look goodbut we have not forgotten what she did to that poor dog at her kennels. i dread to think what my dog went through when he used to get groomed by 24/7 now i know why he would not get in the van without a struggle. yes steve is right come on states shut her down.
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Lady Lily
If as you say people can post what they want, then why cant pete ozanne??
Hmmm double standards maybe??
Good luck continuing to use 24/7, but more fool you!
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My field of employment is in animal behavioural science & I specialise in pet psychology.
It would be unethical & illegal, data protection & all that jazz, for me to go into individual cases regarding the above or any business or pet owner.
However, on the occasions I have been called out by concerned pet owners I can say that the pet’s in question seem to be relatively content other than a little shocked by what is an event that they are a little in fear of. This is quite normal. Many animals feel a sense of abandonment which is distressing for the more timid natured.
I would normally be inclined to give a thorough & detailed post but I have to jump on a flight to London Zoo. I am tasked with treating a hyena that hasn’t managed to crack a smile in over a month.
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I’d just like to add, I think honesty would be the best policy at this stage.
A statement from Claire Lofts & Jessica Valpied explaining the events leading up to this horrific fatality may put much of the negativity to rest.
If people are honest with themselves, most pet owners & parents alike have had near misses & been either fortunate or unfortunate with scenarios in the past.
Things do happen in life. Dealing with a high turnover of animals would inevitably lead to some instances.
The truth might not be pretty, but it may make things easier to swallow than leaving everybody to let their imagination run away with them.
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I have used 24/7 Pet care in the past to look after my animals.
Jessica has always done a great job, I come back to found my animals looking great!.
She always, goes that extra mile for them.
@Lady Lilly – your fact are very right, Jessica is the best we had.
@ Jessica – Take not notices of these people, and keep working hard. I will support you all the way.
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Ormerman – Jessica and her company do a great job. I will not stop using her for my pet care.
She is the BEST.
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Lady lilly WHAT PLANET ARE YOU ON.True animal lovers would not risk their LOVED pets in her care .
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Lady Lilly
I echo L’s comment, and I truly hope that you do not find youself in a similar situation to the owner of this poor dog.
If “The BEST” in your eyes has this mortalilty rate, I’d have to question your sanity.
If what I’ve beeen hearing in the last couple of days is true, then by using her, all you are doing in continuing to let her make money, whilst more animals are put at risk.
Hope you are happy!
Theres no smoke without fire, and there is heck of a lot of smoke coming from her business.
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“Lady lilly WHAT PLANET ARE YOU ON.True animal lovers would not risk their LOVED pets in her care .”
True animal lover wouldn’t have cats. Cats kill millions of our hedgerow birds every year and cr8p in my garden. The sooner they get some hideous feline disease that wipes the lot of them out the better. Cat owners = animal lover? My left buttock!
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soosoo – if you knew JV was keeping animals in squalor why didn’t you report her to the authorities instead of waiting to post an anonymous comment on an internet forum? I smell someone else who cares more about bashing JV than animal welfare.
L – cut through the emotional hype and it’s quite sensible really. Despite the court case a couple of years ago 24/7 has managed to stay in business. This means they must be doing something right – Kevin D’s post also suggests this. People wouldn’t sent their dogs to her for grooming if they thought they’d come back dead – and anyone who pays to have their dog groomed doesn’t sound like someone who doesn’t care about their animals.
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SPB
I know many people who have reported 24/7 to the Animal Shelter, but they are powerless to do anything and the original article has also stated that the NARP had also received a dossier of complaints.
She is still in buiness, solely because there are no animal welfare laws on Guernsey, and no body governing her work over here that has the authority to close her down.
She still has custom simply due to a lack of alternatvies, but that doesnt mean she should be allowed to continue.
I know of a kebab shop in the UK, where people regularly get beaten up inside, however, its the only kebab shop in the area, so hungry drunk people pay their money and take their chance!
Same principal!
As for the “JV Bashing” hmmmm. If you knew more, well, you’d realise its entirley founded.
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@ Sir Percy Blakeney – why do you (and so many people) assume that ‘reporting to the authorities’ will result in action?
My friend who worked at 24/7 reported her concerns to the GSPCA who were unable to act and to Sue Vidamour who explained how things work over here.
Many animal cruelty cases are reported but the lack of laws mean nothing happens.
The reason the welfare laws have Still not come in has to be because they keep being blocked, delayed or scuppered by those who do want to change their ways.
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Dogs Dinner – thank you for your reply but I don’t buy the “lack of alternatives” explanation I’m afraid.
Just from a quick peep at the Yellow Pages and found 2 large adverts for mobile pet care companies. There are also other boarding kennels on the island, the GSPCA for example.
Of course the YP may be outdated by now as I looked in the 2010 directory but I’ve definitely seem one alternative company’s van driving around.
Besides, to take your kebab shop analogy, there is always an alternative – don’t use the service. If I had a choice between risking life and limb for a dodgy kebab I think I’d give it a miss, and I can’t imagine many people are drunk when they call up for Fido’s dog grooming!
Mobile pet grooming is hardly so essential that people would place their pet’s lives in the hands of a provider who, in their opinion, is negligent. I’m sure people would rather wait a bit for another provider than risk their animals life.
Clearly there are enough people who think 27-7′s service is acceptable or they would’ve gone bust.
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PS – in response to your last comment, if people have concerns about JV and 24/7 then fine, they’re entitled to express them.
What annoys me is when people crawl out of the woodwork to do this as soon as there’s an article on the paper. They then post anonymous allegations with no supporting evidence and everyone jumps on the bandwagon.
I’m also a bit confused about the animal welfare laws. As far as I could tell there are some laws over here (perhaps not stringent enough) but they exist. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have police investigations and convictions of people cruelly treating animals – and I can remember at least 3 off the top of my head.
The may be inadequate but surely they’re enough to deal with people who keep animals in the squalid conditions alleged?
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Is It?
Loving your post about cats. Not so connected with this news story (so apologies for having a rant) but am in total agreement re the Cat Crap thing…
I too have had enough of other peoples pets invading my garden and leaving their faeces in my borders, lawn, kids play area and wherever else they damn well like.
If I knew which one of the numerous animals it belonged too I would be only too happy to go and deposit it on the doorstep of their beloved owners for disposal but unfortunately they stay well out of my way when I’m around!
I truly do not see why a domestic animal should be allowed to wander at leisure around other peoples private property.
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Sir Percy Blakeney – “….and anyone who pays to have their dog groomed doesn’t sound like someone who doesn’t care about their animals.”
Actually, someone who really cares about their animals grooms them themselves!
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SPB
You miss the point on the kebab shop analogy, regardless of whether you are drunk or not, if you are looking for a service, and there a little options, and what options there are have a bad press, then certain people will take the risk.
Yes there are a couple of kennels and a couple of pet sitters in the book, but for an island of 60odd thousand people, a great % of which own animals.
Just because there viable alternatives exist doesnt mean there is enough.
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i think its a disgrace and should be closed down for good because jv cannot be trusted to look after animals!! things need to be done sooner than later before another so called accident happens !!
i have never used 24/7 petcare but can imagine some of the antics that happen.
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@Is it and Karen, ur posts are not only ridiculous and unwarranted but u have just proved the theory that cat lovers are LESS aggressive in nature than dog lovers! (Ur posts suggests u are more dog lovers). Just because u are scared of cats doesn’t mean they have less of a right to be on this earth than u! At least cats are clean and tend to bury their crap plus they can groom and look after themselves. Catching pray is in a cats natural behaviour, dogs have to be trained to curb theirs because they are more dangerous, (when have u heard of a domestic cat being put down because it’s ripped off the face of a 2 year old)? That’s the trouble, people put human psychology and emotions on to animals and forget that they are Just that, ANIMALS. they will behave as such …. FACT! And talking of fact, the WORST species of all is us HUMANS as WE are the ones who do the real damage and upset the balance of nature. we judge, we murder, we destroy. We are driven by greed and power we think we have the right to impose our own “self importance” stamp on the world but I can assure u one thing, cats and even insects will outlive the existence of humans and dogs on this planet! (And grooming parlours) well we have gone completly off track so i will just end by getting bak to the topic of conversation and say that whoever is in the wrong here will pay for it dearly in the end. ;-)
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RE SIR PERCY BLAKENEY your comment that there are 2 other mobile dog grooming adverts in the yellow pages.Take a closer look they all belong to 24/7 they trade under 3 different names.There are other companys so its up to customers to find these out .
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1) We do not know all the facts.
2) JV has responded in the way she considered to be best for the Public Image of her business, by sending the Press a picture of her employee who was grooming the dog, and making sure everybody knew she was not present at the time.
3) A previous incident, was covered up no doubt to look after the Public Image of the business.
4) The person ultimately responsible cannot escape criticism, nor should she.
5) Speculation as to what happened does not help the Public Image, especially considering the past.
Best course of action should have been:
No excuses.
JV should have said she left a qualified member of staff in charge and she will comment further once she had been fully briefed of the circumstances.
Then followed up with a statement, explaining how the death occurred and that the employee had either followed her training guidelines and it was an unfortunate accident or that she was distracted by perhaps a telephone call and the dog jumped off, whatever, it did not require a photo of the employee, in fact, is that not a data protection issue!!
Let’s face it, Ministers/Deputies are not allowed to name civil servants, when they may have been to blame for something!
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Coolkitty….you make some strange assumptions from my post.
FYI – I am completely neutral in my preference between dogs and cats as pets as long as they are looked after properly, well behaved and out of my garden. They absolutely have every right to exist on this planet alongside all other manner of life.
I am certainly not scared of cats, having volunteered occasionally at Animal Aid helping out with the strays there a few years ago before the kids came along so please don’t jump to conclusions so easily. (I wonder you have ever bothered to give up your spare time to do the same?)Oh and by the way – they may be able to groom themselves but they absolutely used to adore having the time spent being groomed if only more people bothered.
My problem is that I own a property – MY property, and other peoples cats are free to roam in and out as they please and crap wherever they like (and as for the buried bit – trust me they barely make the effort). I have two young children and the FACT of the matter is that cat faeces is dangerous and harmful for children quite apart from the fact that it is completely offensive (as is dog pooh for that matter but as I don’t get that in my garden I’ll save that rant for another time!!!).
Why should we have to put up with that in our own space? Why should I have to do a full reccie of the garden every time the kids want to go out and play? I don’t blame the cats – more the completely selfish attitude of ‘that’s what cat’s do….they have to roam around freely…it’s their right’.
If you own a cat then it and its pooh should be YOUR responsibility not mine.
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It’s taken me a while but I’ve read all the comments.
In my opinion JV is a young lady who perhaps is very naive, inexperienced and is not best equipped to run a business. She isn’t alone in this, I’ve met quite a few people who aren’t very good at running businesses! It is quite obvious to me that the posts declaring her the BEST pet groomer on the island are personal acquaintances of JV. However, this is not the main point I’m making so no need to comment back denying it. I really don’t care. It’s natural to stick up for friends, I do it myself on a regular basis…although I spell check my posts before commenting and make it clear that I know them personally and don’t put on the pretence that I’m JUST a paying customer. I also highly suspect that JV is at least one of those posters which just backs up my points at the beginning of this paragraph.
In relation to the first story it was quite obvious that JV (then 24) panicked and covered up. Yes she was young but there have been younger people running successful businesses in the past (how old was the fb guy when he started up?) and at 24 I believe your actions are quite indicative of the person you are. In any place this was only two years ago. When we look back upon our 24yr old self at 70 then we can make a fair assessment of how we’ve changed over the years. It seems to me that it is JV’s nature to cover things up. Panic. Make excuses. Having read this 2nd incident it appears that she has not learnt from her previous mistakes. Devils_advocate, very sensible approach and yes (in my experience) this would be against data protection unless Claire has given her permission for her name and photo to be used. An employer is limited to what personal information they can supply to parties without the individual’s consent. I have, in the past, denied certain details to Social Security unless duly authorised by the Police or by the individual directly. However I’ll let the GP thrash that one out.
As other posters have pointed out 24/7 have many companies. In any case all JV would have to do would be to shut down those companies and operate under different names. Yes we live in a small community and eventually word will get round but, do you really ask who the person is that will be grooming your pet? The ONLY way forward is to have legislation in the island.
Yes, we all make mistakes, however, I like to think I learn from mine. I’m afraid I have very little sympathy for JV. I sincerely hope that she reads these comments and learns from this and would very much welcome a response from her directly.
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Karen
If you feel that strongly about cats in your garden, then why dont you use your time on the internet to order some silent roar, instead of using a practically unrelated story for your cat rant!
Personally I much prefer the rodent population to be kept down as I find rat droppings and rodents in general to be a far greater concern for my children than Cat poo!
FYI I own cats as well as dogs, mine poo in my garden which acts as a great mix in my composter to make some fantastic fertilizer and I live in an area with many rats, but since they have been going outdoors…… no more rats!
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Lady lilly karen this article is about the death of a loved family pet through neglect .not cats pooing in gardens.
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Dogs Dinner – my apologies for my ranting on this link on an unrelated topic but the subject of cats was raised and I couldn’t resist…
(Besides – having absolutely no idea of the true facts behind this particlar story I don’t really feel in a position to make judgement upon it.)
Anyway – seeing as you brought it up – I have spent quite a lot of money over the years and tried numerous products without much success (the current one being the Big Cheese Sonic Blaster or some such). Can’t say as I have a rodent problem though. ;)
My point with all of this is – why should I have to? These are other peoples pets, not animals that are native and wild to the island, that they choose to own and supposedly assume responsibility for.
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Yeah Karen we get it, you don’t like cats. Fine.
I live in an area where occasionally I can’t have the windows open as screaming scooters roar past. Loud kids after the pubs have let out, narrow road where my wingmirror gets bashed occasionally…it’s called life. If I want any of those things to change I change them. I may move to a different area, I may park in a different location, I may invest in a property which is set back far from the road.
I find pepper around the edge of your garden is quite effective as is plastic bottles filled with water. Life is full of pains, yours…not so big in the scheme of things.
Lynnie – good post. I agree.
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Karen
Thanks for your reply.
Cats are a difficult one, although I dont know if you’ve ever had them, but I didnt like them for years until my wife took me to see some kittens (I thought we were going to the shops!!), and since that day I’ve loved them to bits.
They are a very independent animal, they come and go as they please, eat, sleep and wander, as opposed to my dogs who require much more care. But it does raise the question of how do you stop them doing what they want, when if affect other people, such as your poo problem.
Its a qustion that I cant answer, and its why there are so many cat deterrents on the market.
I have heard that Silent Roar is very good, its basically powdered Lion pee, so it doesnt harm the offending animal.
Although the ultimate solution, get a cat of your own, if you get a male cat, neuter him, litter train him, he will soon mark your garden out as “his territory”, voila no more cats! Plus your family get something to cuddle!
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CLOSE HER DOWN (FOR THE PROTECTION OF ALL ANIMALS) if it were children she was looking after she would be locked up.
It is up to us to protect our animals and others from her anyone still using her in my eyes should not have animals as they clearly don’t care about there wellbeing.
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“They are a very independent animal, they come and go as they please, eat, sleep and wander, as opposed to my dogs who require much more care.”
Point proved. Cat owners only take a half-arse care of their animals and allow them to run amok killing and crapping all over the island. Cat owners aren’t responsible enough to own dogs so they get felines who are a less of an imposition on them. Funny as, that one!
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“he will soon mark your garden out as “his territory”, voila no more cats!”
Are you mad? Neutered cats don’t kill and don’t poo? No point talking to lunatics about felines is there?
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Is it. You have not got a clue what you are talking you are a first class idiot with ignorance towards animals I suggest you go and get some education on cats also before you start having a go at me… I have got cats and they are my life- behold anyone that true to hurt them.
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Oh and is it – I also have dogs .oh and guess what IS IT my cat craps in a litter tray
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Is It
Or shouldnt it be, no point in talking to pathetic WUM’s trying to get a rise out of people??
1 word…. context, you may not understand that!
But my posts taken in context make a mockery of the drivel you have posted in reply
Just like you dont understand and didnt read properly the point about why having your own cat would mean other cats in the neighbourhood wont poo in your garden.
But you appear so closed minded and unknowledgable about cats, that your posting makes you appear somewhat hypocritical, so move along.
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Is it?
Neutered cats are less likely to wander therefore would cause less nuisance to neighbours. Cat’s are actually quite clean and will bury their excrement, unlike dogs. I see dog poop and pigeon poop on a daily basis.
All animals kill, I fail to see your point about cats. Human beings conduct acts of violence every day for no reason at all.
Please, tell us. How does an owner control a cat? Should it be a house cat? Should it be walked on a lead? Or what..we should put them all done and wipe out cats entirely?
Lol come on now. Can we have some sensible posts please?
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“Or what..we should put them all done and wipe out cats entirely?”
Ideally yes.
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To be a truly succesful WUM, you need to be a little bit cleverer than that!
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lol @ is it? !!
I’ve got a specially designed virus in my laboratory, it’s called Catsomatosis. As it’s name suggests it’s a variant of myxomatosis except it bumps off cats.
I’ve also got a special cat collar that works along the principle of the movie “The Running Man.” Basically the collar contains a small explosive device that is detonated if the cat leaves its owner’s property. Of course you’ll have to clear the mess afterwards but you sound like someone so pathologically opposed to cats that you wouldn’t mind!
How much will you pay me for either? ;)
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Hahahaha oh dear. Well ‘Is it?’ I think you may have a life full of disappointment.
Perhaps you were a mouse in a past life.
Oh and apologies meant to type *down instead of done.
:)
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Are we allowed to shoot cats that stray on to land?
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I am not quite sure why a discussion about cats has appeared in this thread entitled ‘Second dog dies while with local petcare firm (24/7)’, it appears to be a diversion!!!
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A LOVED PET HAS DIED FOR GOODNESS SAKE enough of pathetic immature unrelated posts about cats.
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Yes, we should all listen to L.
Stop pussy-footing around and be serious, people!
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L – You’ve let the cat out of the bag now…be warned…
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Discussion on this topic is now closed.
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