Latest news with #GoldenRetrieverExperience
BBC News
31-07-2025
- BBC News
Somerset dog experience: 'My birthday gift unknowingly funded dog abuse'
A women who was gifted a voucher for a viral golden retriever petting experience said she's "distraught" after "unknowingly funding" mistreatment of Briers, from Nottingham, got a £125 voucher for the now closed down viral Golden Retriever Experience in West Somerset near Minehead for her site offered play and petting sessions with around 30 dogs to paying visitors but the owner was recently banned from keeping dogs for 10 years after some of the animals died in his care.A spokesperson for the Golden Retriever Experience said: "There has been a high volume of enquiries regarding gift cards, and we are currently assessing the situation." The experience, which garnered millions of views on social media - had its licence revoked by Somerset Council following a police and RSPCA investigation in May animal charity said the dogs were kept in unclean and overcrowded conditions, with little access to fresh Briers said she "felt sick to the stomach" after finding out about the ban."As an animal lover, who's owned four rescue dogs, the fact that the £125 contributed to and enabled them to abuse the dogs," she said."It's been devastating to see what happened to these poor dogs."It's not about getting the refund, it's what the money has enabled them to do. I feel complicit in the abuse of these poor dogs."Ms Briers was gifted the voucher for the golden retriever experience in Somerset in October 2022 for her birthday by work colleagues. After a family emergency, Ms Briers was unable to book within the 12 months limit so she emailed the company and they responded "not to worry" about the expiry date and get in touch at a later the website for the now defunct Golden Retriever Experience, in it's Terms and Conditions it says gift cards are non-refundable. Nicolas St James, 62, was handed an 18-week prison sentence, suspended for one year, at North Somerset Magistrates' Court in Weston-super-Mare earlier this month.A spokesperson for the attraction added on gift voucher refunds that they're "unable to comment further pending legal advice".
Daily Mail
16-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Golden retrievers killed each other in fights and were left without fresh water at popular attraction where tourists paid to play with the dogs
Golden retrievers have killed each other in savage fights at a popular tourist attraction where visitors are invited to play with the dogs. The Golden Retriever Experience had received international news coverage for its popularity, but today its business owner was banned from keeping dogs for ten years and handed an 18-week sentence, suspended for 12 months. Members of the public had the opportunity to spend time surrounded by dogs out in the fields but behind the scenes the animals were living in poor conditions, with two dying after getting into fights and another having his genitals severed during a fight. Nicolas Eugene Grant St James, 62 from Minehead, pleaded guilty to failing to provide accommodation of a sufficient size for the number of dogs, failing to keep the accommodation clean, failing to provide a comfortable place for the dogs to rest, and failing to provide continuously available fresh, clean drinking water for the animals. The RSPCA first investigated after it received reports of dogs being injured and dying due to fights breaking out in overcrowded conditions as part of the commercial operation. After failing to meet the RSPCA's requested improvements, the police removed all the dogs from the property. The vet who examined the dogs said they were 'not protected from pain, injury, suffering, and disease'. They added that 'none of the dogs' needs under Section 9 of the Animal Welfare Act were met. 'The environment was inadequate in size and comfort; there was a lack of constant access to clean drinking water; dogs were not protected from pain, injury, suffering, and disease; and they were unable to exhibit normal behaviour or be separated when needed.' The dog centre opened ten years ago by St-James, who wanted to invite people to 'join our incredible pack of goldies for some much-needed doggy cuddles.' The website adds that the dogs are 'impeccably trained and endlessly affectionate,' perfect for dog lovers who don't own their own pets. A basic two-hour long session set adults back £60, seniors £50, and children £30, but is free for children under two. The business blew up after a TikTok user recommended people visit the centre after going there with her partner to mark their anniversary. Her video, showing dozens of retrievers frolicking in the grass, went viral, reaching more than 4 million views on the platform. A behaviourist, whose report was used as evidence, said that their access to water was restricted: 'The dogs were kept in crowded conditions within a dirty home when not at the 'experience'. 'Bedding was not provided and drinking water was restricted to prevent indoor urination. The group included unspayed females and unneutered males living in close contact. 'The dogs in this case were not provided with adequate resting or sleeping places, ideally all dogs should be provided with options for resting places that provide appropriate comfort. In such a large group of dogs a number and variety of types of bed is preferable. Bedding can be considered a valuable resource by dogs. 'Dogs with higher levels of impulsivity and fear are more likely to display resource guarding aggression. 'Resource guarding aggression represents behaviours such as growling, freezing, snapping and biting. 'This behaviour can be shown by some domestic dogs that are possessive of valued resources, for example, food, toys or sleeping sites.' She continued: 'DEFRA's code of practice for the welfare of dogs states fresh clean drinking water should be available at all times. The restriction may increase the value of water to this group of dogs which may cause conflict over the resource when it is available to them.' St James was handed an 18- week sentence, suspended for 12 months. He is also banned from keeping dogs for ten years, must carry out 200 hours of community service, ten Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR) days and pay £5,000 costs and a £150 victim surcharge. During sentencing District Judge Brereton told St James he repeatedly ignored advice and warnings, that the provision for his dogs was 'woefully inadequate', and that this led to deaths and serious injuries. She also said he showed 'no remorse' and focused on his personal 'financial loss' rather than the impact on the dogs welfare. RSPCA Inspector Jo Daniel said after the hearing: 'These dogs were failed when it came to receiving the care they needed. 'Water, comfort and a safe living environment are basic needs that every owner has a duty to fulfil to ensure the needs of their animals are being met.'
BBC News
16-07-2025
- BBC News
Working at Golden Retriever Experience was 'horrible nightmare'
A woman who worked at a dog-petting experience says the job quickly became a "horrible nightmare" as the animals were kept in "disgusting, unclean and cramped" walker Rhianne Aitken, 34, helped look after animals at the Golden Retriever Experience in Somerset from May to August owner of the attraction, 62-year-old Nicolas St James, was given a suspended prison sentence and banned from owning dogs for 10 years on Tuesday, after pleading guilty to animal welfare charges.A spokesperson for the Golden Retriever Experience said improvements had been made and the attraction was "pleased the matter was behind" them. Warning: this article contains information some readers may find distressingNorth Somerset Magistrates' Court was told the animals were kept in unclean and overcrowded conditions, with little access to fresh water, which left the retrievers fighting over limited resources. Ms Aitken, who was one of the staff members who reported St James, said one of the dogs was very nervous and put into cramped conditions with other animals who he was not used to being was later mauled to death, staff said."He wasn't part of the pack and they obviously turned on him and that's why he would have got mauled."He was such a lovely dog and deserved so much better," she Aitken lived in a caravan on the site during the week and would help look after the dogs. 'We cared so deeply' But she and other members of staff grew increasingly concerned with conditions in the house and they contacted the RSPCA."The dogs didn't have any toys and, if it wasn't for the other girls and I, they would not have had love and affection," she said."We cared so deeply for them and it was horrible to witness," Ms Aitken former staff member, Maisie Lang, said "there was no control" at the site."The dogs weren't getting properly looked after," she Lang added the house where the dogs lived was "dirty""At the end of the day I would have black coming out of my nose," she added. The site was visited by the RSPCA and Somerset Council on 28 May 2024 and investigators found the dogs in poor conditions, with some animals fighting and killing each James, from Carhampton in Minehead, was subsequently charged and 30 golden retrievers were Aitken said she was "proud" that members of staff had managed to make a change for the dogs."It would have just kept happening and happening."The RSPCA always reassures us they're now in good homes and are well looked after," she the removal of the attraction's licence, the dogs were rescued by the animal charity and most were moved to its facility in Norbury from the RSPCA said the dogs had since been fostered or adopted.
ITV News
15-07-2025
- ITV News
Owner of Somerset Golden Retriever Experience banned from keeping dogs for 10 years
A man who ran an animal attraction involving golden retrievers in Somerset has been banned from keeping dogs after two of the animals died under his care. Nicolas Grant-St James of Keepers Cottage, Carhampton in Minehead, ran the Golden Retriever Experience in Dunster, where visitors could spend time with the dogs. It had its licence revoked in May 2024 after the RSPCA found standards had deteriorated. A total of 20 dogs were found in the bedroom and a further 20 found in the kitchen. Two others had died. Grant-St James pleaded guilty to four counts of: He also admitted these factors contributed to some fights which occurred between the dogs and added they were seen by a vet. A not guilty plea was entered in relation to other charges involving not providing an appropriate diet and pest control, not using appropriate training techniques, failing to keep the dogs safe from injury or obtain prompt medical attention for them when required. He received an 18-week prison sentence, suspended for a year and ordered to pay £5,000 in costs. The case, heard at Weston-super-Mare Magistrates' Court, was brought by the RSPCA. The surviving dogs have been fostered and re-homed across Cornwall.
