A pet sitter and her partner have been found guilty of mistreating dogs while the animals’ owners were away on vacation.
Paige Williams, 26, from Kenilworth Road, Knowle, Solihull, who is pregnant, and her partner Bradley Regan Archer, 27, were sentenced following the discovery of disturbing videos showing them mistreating dogs they were responsible for caring for.
Williams charged a family £1,400 to look after their three dogs, two cats, and two birds in July and August 2024. Archer joined Williams in caring for the animals at the family’s residence in Balsall Common, where the abusive behavior took place over several weeks.
Upon their return, the family viewed distressing footage captured by kitchen and garden cameras, which they then submitted as evidence to the RSPCA for investigation.
The abuse was focused on two German Shorthaired Pointers, a 13-month-old dog named Ayrton and a three-year-old dog named Frieda, while the other pets were not targeted.
The videos showed Williams and Archer shouting, swearing, dragging, and physically mistreating the dogs, causing them distress and harm. Williams operated her pet sitting business under the name Fur & Filly PetCare Services, but the dog owners refused to pay the invoice after discovering the abuse.
During the court proceedings, Williams pleaded guilty to failing to meet the needs of the dogs under the Animal Welfare Act, while Archer initially denied the charges but later changed his plea.
Williams received a 12-month community order with 140 hours of unpaid work, along with costs and a victim surcharge. Archer was also given a 12-month community order with 40 hours of unpaid work, in addition to costs and a victim surcharge. Both individuals were prohibited from owning any animals for seven years.
RSPCA Inspector Ben Jones, who led the investigation, expressed disappointment in the betrayal of trust by Williams and Archer, stating that the dogs showed signs of anxiety and stress as a result of the mistreatment.
The court heard that Williams was struggling with hormonal changes during her pregnancy and that the family had previously entrusted her with their pets without incident. However, they were shocked and dismayed by the abuse discovered upon their return.
The RSPCA reported that the dogs, initially subdued and distressed, have since shown signs of improvement after being reunited with their family.