Fife pet sitter Gaynor Frances Burgess given animal ban
A Fife pet sitter who left seven animals unattended for several days has been disqualified from working with animals for 40 months.
Gaynor Frances Burgess, 60, from St Andrews, pled guilty to failing to make adequate provisions for five dogs and two cats in October 2012.
Burgess, proprietor of Pet Care Services of St Andrews, was also fined £400.
She was sentenced on Thursday at Cupar Sheriff Court.
Scottish SPCA Senior Inspector Steven Gray said: "A woman and her sister both paid Burgess in full to visit their homes up to three times a day and provide care to their animals while they attended a family wedding.
"However, when one of the owners returned home on 14 October, it was evident Burgess had not visited her two dogs and two cats since 12 October as arranged.
"There was a foul smell as she entered the house and the kitchen floor was so badly damaged from excrement and urine that it had to be replaced.
"The woman then discovered that her sister's three dogs had been left unattended since 10 October.
"When interviewed, Burgess said she had failed to write the bookings in her diary and, as a result, had forgotten to attend to these pets."
Correction 10 June 2013: This story has been amended to clarify that Burgess was banned from working with animals, rather than banned from keeping them.