Dog trainer who allowed three animals to bake to death in hot car is spared jail
A Crufts dog instructor who allowed the three pets to be cooked in a warm car was saved from prison.
The 57-year-old Andrew Claridge-Fleming left four Gundogs for six hours on a hot summer day in the chests behind Land Rover Discovery.
Unexpectedly, he was called to take his wife to a relative’s house, and when he came back, three of the four dogs died in 23C heat.
Two of them belonged to Cocker Spaniel customers named Milo, a six -month Fox Red Labrador and Bodger.
Claridge-Fleming tried to cool his fourth dog’s own Cocker Spaniel Rocky before running to the vet.
On August 3, 2023, he said that water and a door and boat was open to keep dogs cool at his Farm in New Milton, Hands.
But on his way, he came back to find out that someone had closed the doors.
Claridge-Fleming directed Gordleton Gundogs and released for the first time with a dog called ATO in Crufts last year.
The year before this incident took part in a issue of Gundog Journal and represented England in the International Game Fair in the Working test.
Bournemouth Crown Court heard that Claridge-Fleming had removed four dogs for morning education and returned home at 9 am.
He left them an hour later and did not return until 16.00. Three dogs, including a Cockapoo, the other pet of Claridge-Fleming, died of heat impact and hyperthermia.
He was found guilty of causing unnecessary pain to animals, denying that he was directly responsible for deaths.
Silas Lee, prosecution, “That morning for training the dogs out of the morning and I returned at 9 am.
“They stayed in a chest of four dogs, two in each compartment behind the car. They were left with water and left the back door and I made boot at the Land Rover Discovery.
“My wife and I had four children, my wife had just had a birth. He went out to visit his aunt, but soon he said he couldn’t cope with all the kids.
“I said I would buy them, it was around 10 this morning. Otherwise it wasn’t planned. I went to about 16.
“When I returned, I was shocked to find out that the boat was closed. Three of the four people were dead. I was miserable. I did my best to cool Rocky before taking him to the vet.
“I do not admit that I am directly responsible for your death, but I admit that I have left the dogs for a very long time.”
Milo’s owner Rachael Helier said he felt anger at Claridge-Fleming.
Milo had a one -month training course and left the death of Helier’s young children ‘miserable’.
The court first heard the trainer claiming that Mrs. Helier had remained unattended for just one hour.
He then said that it was ‘a few hours’ before accepting his six -hour absence.
Helier’s expression of sacrifice, read in court, “It was terrible to find out that our puppy was dead, but it was even worse to know that he had died of closing in a hot car under prevented conditions.
“It was terrible to say to our two daughters seven and nine -year -olds that Milo had died and heard them physically upset.
“We understand that accidents occurred, but if Andrew Claridge-Flemeing would apologize and regret it at the beginning of the process we would forgive him.
“But it made us feel that we were difficult and made us feel difficult, making our anger more pronounced.
“Every day we miss Milo and the girls will not lose him so soon – he left a big hole in our family.”
Other dogs were a Cocker Spaniel named Bodger and a Cockapoo named Rocky.
Bodger’s owner was also a customer who did not support the prosecution.
The fourth dog, also called Rocky, was taken to the vet with hyperthermia.
The court heard evidence that Naomi Williams, a veterinary surgeon, would suffer from heat impact and hyperthermia that dogs could not regulate body temperatures.
Defending Holly Hagan, Claridge-Flemeing’in custody penalty ‘will suffer very’ children, he said.
“This was really devastated by this.
“Dogs are not just a pet, but their livelihood and passion.”
The court told the court that the defendant continued to carry out the dog’s education business, but now he said that he did not advertise and did not trust people who recognize and trust him.
The Honor Judge Suzanne Evans KC sentenced Claridge-Fleming to 27 months in prison and suspended for 18 months.
He said to him: “These dogs are your lack of shocking care and neglect.
“The temperature on August 3, 2023 was in the 22-23c region, and everyone knows that even non-experts, in the middle of hot air dogs, is quite vulnerable in hot vehicles and should never be left there.
“It can be applied in the Gundog industry (where dogs remain under these conditions), but it looks completely wrong for a stranger.
“While a family was uncomfortable with the emergency, they were left to suffer behind the car for six hours.
“Dogs trust in loving, relying on the creatures who rely on the ministers, and you completely unsuccessful.”
Claridge-Fleming was also ordered to pay for 180 hours of unpaid work and pay for the victim’s additional fees and unexplained costs.
Speaking after the prisoner, RSPCA Inspector Patrick Bailey said: “Many people think that such things will never happen, so we hope that this sad case is very high to the lives of animals.
“We would beg to leave a dog to people for a moment, especially in hot weather.”
