Crufts Award Winner Covered up Dog’s Death and Lied to Owners

A professional pet carer who won an award at Crufts 2006 has admitted covering up the death of a dog left at her kennels by a client.

Jessica Valpied is said to have panicked upon discovering the remains of Arte, a Border Collie belonging to Michael Van den Bossche, a surgeon by profession who had left his dog in the care of Valpied whilst on holiday in france.

Concerned for the reputation of her business, Ms Valpied buried the dog’s body in a field and swore her staff to secrecy, urging them to pretend to search for the animal by calling the dog’s name, walking around the area and whistling.

Valpied, who runs the 24-7 Petcare company in Guernsey reported the missing dog herself to the Guernsey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and personally organised a high profile publicity campaign to try and find the deceased dog.

The dog’s owner, Mr Van den Bossche also joined in the hunt for his missing pet by making media appeals and postering the local area.

However, the cover up was revealed when two young members of staff at 24-7 Petcare were so worried they informed their parents who reported the incident to the Police.

Ms Valpied won the National pet Sitter of the Year Award at Crufts dog show back in 2006 received a fine of just £400 after she admitted the deception.

Arte’s owner described her actions as “cruel and evil” and hit out at the punishment she received.

The court heard that Arte had been killed just two days after he was dropped off at the kennels. Two cross breed bull terriers somehow managed to enter Arte’s pen where a fight broke out leaving the poor Collie fatally wounded.

Upon discovering the dead animal, Valpied buried the dog and called Arte’s owner to alert them to the fact that he had ‘run off’ but that she was doing everything she could to look for him.

She went on to tell Police that she had made the claim as she didn’t want her staff to be blamed or for the bull terriers responsible for the death to be euthanised.

Speaking after the case, Mr Van den Bossche, said: “It is outrageous that she should get away with just a fine. What happened was very upsetting and people should know about this.

“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 just awful.”

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Tags:  Animal Cruelty, Animal Welfare