15-07-2025
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.
