Latest news with #GordletonGundogs
Telegraph
15 hours ago
- Telegraph
Crufts trainer allows three dogs to die in hot car
A Crufts dog trainer allowed three pets to die in a baking hot car, a court heard. Andrew Claridge-Fleming left the animals in crates in the boot of his Land Rover Discovery for seven hours in August 2023. Three of the dogs died from heat exhaustion and another recovered after being taken to a vet, a court heard. Claridge-Fleming admitted causing unnecessary suffering to animals on the basis that he was not directly responsible for their deaths. He said he had left a door and the boot open to keep the dogs cool at his farm in New Milton, Hampshire, on Aug 3 2023. But when he returned later that day the doors were shut and Milo, a six-month-old fox red Labrador, Bodger, a cocker spaniel, and a cockapoo named Rocky, were dead. Two of them were his own dogs while the other two belonged to clients. His own cocker spaniel, also called Rocky, survived, Bournemouth Crown Court heard. The 57-year-old, who runs the training school Gordleton Gundogs, made his debut at Crufts last year with a canine called Ato. In a statement read out on his behalf, he told the court he had been unexpectedly called away from his farm to drive his wife and four children to see a relative at 9am and did not return until 4pm. 'I had taken the dogs out for training that morning and returned at approximately 9am,' he said. 'They were left in a crate in the back of the car with capacity for four dogs, two in each compartment. They were left with water and I left the back door and boot open on my Land Rover Discovery. 'My wife and I had four children, my wife had just given birth. She had gone out to visit her aunt but came back a short while later saying she couldn't cope with the drive with all the children. 'I said I would take them. This was around 10am. It was otherwise unplanned. I was gone until approximately 4pm. When I returned I was shocked to find the boot had been closed. Three out of four had perished. I was distraught. I did what I could to cool Rocky down before taking him to the vet. 'I do not accept I am directly responsible for their deaths but I do accept I left the dogs unattended for too long. At gun dog trials, dogs are routinely kept in crates in the back of vehicles, it is standard practice in the industry. I regret the incident immensely.' Holly Fagan, defending, told the court her client was 'deeply sorry' for the loss of the two dogs owned by others. The case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be carried out, but Claridge-Fleming could face jail when he returns to be sentenced in August. The maximum penalty for causing unnecessary suffering to an animal is five years in prison. Richard Onslow, the recorder, said: 'I can't tell you what sort of sentence it will be. There are no promises, no guarantees.'
Daily Mirror
17 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Crufts trainer facing jail after letting three dogs boil to death in Land Rover
Andrew Claridge-Fleming could face five years in jail after the animals were left in his car for seven hours on a hot summer's day in 2023 - a fourth dog survived the tragedy A respected Crufts dog trainer could face jail after allowing three pets to die in a baking hot car. Andrew Claridge-Fleming left four dogs in the back of his Land Rover Discovery for seven hours on a hot day. The 57-year-old claimed he had left a door and the boot open for the dogs that were in crates. He was then unexpectedly called away from his farm, but when he returned hours later he was 'shocked' to find the boot closed. Claridge-Fleming found Milo, a six-month-old fox red Labrador, cocker spaniel Bodger and a cockapoo, named Rocky, had died of heat exhaustion. A fourth dog, his own cocker spaniel also called Milo, was alive but had to be rushed to the vet. The car had been parked at his farm in New Milton, Hants at the time of the tragedy in August 2023. Claridge-Fleming runs Gordleton Gundogs, a training school he set up in 2022. His wife Nicola breeds working cocker spaniels under the same name. He has represented England at the international game fair working test and made his debut at Crufts last year. Claridge-Fleming admitted causing unnecessary suffering to animals when he appeared at Bournemouth crown court. In a statement read out by his barrister, he said: "I had taken the dogs out for training that morning and returned at approximately 9am. "They were left in a crate in the back of the car with capacity for four dogs, two in each compartment. They were left with water and I left the back door and boot open on my Land Rover Discovery. "My wife and I had four children, my wife had just given birth. "She had gone out to visit her aunt but came back a short while later saying she couldn't cope with the drive with all the children. "I said I would take them, this was around 10am. It was otherwise unplanned. I was gone until approximately 4pm. "When I returned I was shocked to find the boot had been closed. Three out of four had perished. I was distraught. I did what I could to cool Rocky down before taking him to the vet. "I do not accept I am directly responsible for their deaths but I do accept I left the dogs unattended for too long. "At gun dog trials, dogs are routinely kept in crates in the back of vehicles, it is standard practice in the industry. "I regret the incident immensely." He will be sentenced in August and faces up to five years behind bars.
Daily Mail
19 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Crufts gundog trainer allowed three dogs to bake to death after leaving them in Land Rover for seven hours on hot summer day, court told
A Crufts gundog trainer let three dogs bake to death on a hot summer's day by leaving them for seven hours in the back of his Land Rover. Andrew Claridge-Fleming, 57, abandoned the four dogs in crates in his Land Rover Discovery at a farm in Hampshire - and has now admitted causing unnecessary suffering to animals. He claimed he had left a door and the boot open for the dogs when he was unexpectedly called away from his Ashley Manor Farm home in New Milton. And he told a court that he was 'shocked' to find the boot closed when returning to the vehicle hours later. Inside were the tragic dogs Milo, a six-month-old fox red Labrador, cocker spaniel Bodger and a cockapoo named Rocky, all of whom had died of heat exhaustion. A fourth dog, Claridge-Fleming's own cocker spaniel also called Rocky, was alive but had to be rushed to the vet. The car had been parked at Claridge-Fleming's farm home on August 3 2023. Claridge-Fleming runs Gordleton Gundogs, a training school he set up in 2022, while his wife Nicola breeds working cocker spaniels under the same name. He claimed he had left a door and the boot of the Land Rover Discovery (pictured) open for the dogs when he was unexpectedly called away from his home in New Milton, Hampshire The defendant is a field test secretary for the Hampshire Gundog Society as well as the Kent, Surrey and Sussex Labrador Retriever Club. He has represented England at the international game fair working test and made his debut at international dog show Crufts last year with a canine called Ato. A year before the heat exhaustion incident, he was featured in an issue of Gundog Journal talking about Rocky as his 'dog of a lifetime'. Bournemouth Crown Court has now heard how Claridge-Fleming took the dogs out for training in the morning of August 3 2023 - two of his own dogs, while the other two belonged to clients - and returned home at 9am. The four animals were in crates in the boot of his car - two in each compartment - and had water and fresh air from the open doors. At about 10am he was unexpectedly called away to drive his wife and four children to a relative's house and was gone until 4pm, the court was told. When he returned, the car door and boot was shut and three of the dogs had 'perished' - with Claridge-Fleming describing how he tried to cool down the fourth, Rocky, before rushing him to the vet. He pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to animals on the basis he was directly responsible for their deaths. Holly Fagan, defending, read out his statement, saying: 'I had taken the dogs out for training that morning and returned at approximately 9am. 'They were left in a crate in the back of the car with capacity for four dogs, two in each compartment. They were left with water and I left the back door and boot open on my Land Rover Discovery. 'My wife and I had four children, my wife had just given birth. She had gone out to visit her aunt but came back a short while later saying she couldn't cope with the drive with all the children. 'I said I would take them, this was around 10am. It was otherwise unplanned. I was gone until approximately 4pm. 'When I returned I was shocked to find the boot had been closed. Three out of four had perished. I was distraught. I did what I could to cool Rocky down before taking him to the vet. 'I do not accept I am directly responsible for their deaths but I do accept I left the dogs unattended for too long. 'At gundog trials, dogs are routinely kept in crates in the back of vehicles - it is standard practice in the industry. I regret the incident immensely.' Ms Fagan told the court her client was 'deeply sorry' for the loss of the two dogs owned by others. The prosecution said they accepted the basis as there was 'nothing we can disprove' and stated they were not actively seeking a disqualification from keeping animals. The case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be carried out, but Claridge-Fleming could be facing jail when he returns to be sentenced in August. The maximum penalty for causing unnecessary suffering is five years in prison. Recorder Richard Onslow told Claridge-Fleming: 'I can't tell you what sort of sentence it will be. There are no promises, no guarantees.'
