Petsitter who beat dogs handed animal ban

A petsitter and her partner have been banned from keeping animals for seven years after video emerged of them dragging, kicking and screaming at dogs in their care.

Paige Williams, 26, from Knowle, West Midlands, sought to charge a family £1,400 to care for their three dogs, two cats and two birds of prey while they were away on holiday in 2024.

Her partner Bradley Archer, 26, from Solihull, also joined Williams at the family's home in Balsall Common when the animals were mistreated.

The couple were sentenced at Coventry Magistrates' Court after Williams admitted an Animal Welfare Act offence, after the RSPCA was brought the prosecution on seeing footage shot on cameras at the family's home.

The footage was captured on cameras the family had installed in the kitchen and garden.

The abuse involved a 13-month-old dog called Ayrton and a three-year-old dog called Frieda - both German shorthaired pointers – the RSPCA said.

Williams and Archer were observed shouting and swearing at the dogs, and roughly dragging Ayrton and Freida by their collars, holding them off the ground, pushing them through doorways and pushing them down.

In one of the clips, Williams also appears to directly address the owners via the camera, saying: "I will never look after your dogs again, my animals have suffered this month. My animals. I've had enough."

RSPCA Inspector Ben Jones carried out the investigation on behalf of the animal welfare charity and said "poor Ayrton" had borne the brunt of the abuse.

"He was locked in a crate which left him crying and whining, he was tethered to a tree - with water left just out of his reach - and he was chased around the garden and threatened with a stick," Jones said.

"He was handled very inappropriately, with a slip lead used to yank him around and even flip him up into the air.

"When he jumped up at Archer he was whipped at several times with the same lead."

Williams was also sentenced to a 12-month community order with 140 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £350 costs along with a £114 victim surcharge.

Archer had earlier pleaded not guilty and was due to stand trial, but changed his plea at the start of the hearing.

He was also sentenced to a 12-month community order with 40 hours of unpaid work, and ordered to pay £750 costs and a £114 victim surcharge.

The charity confirmed that the prosecution did not relate to the family's third dog or other pets.

On discovering the abuse meted out by Archer and Williams - who operated her business under the name Fur & Filly Pet Care Services – the family refused to pay the bill they had been sent.

Under the ban, Williams can no longer operate as a petsitter.

The RSPCA said the court heard the family had been introduced to Williams by a friend and had used her several times previously, with no concerns.

"[But] when they checked the cameras they were shocked by what they found," Jones said.

The dogs were said to now be doing well, but the experience has had a lasting impact, according to the family.

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