RSPCA officers who seized dogs from West Somerset visitor attraction the Golden Retriever Experience (GRE) were caring for them while an investigation was ongoing, one of the business founders told the Free Press.

Lauren St James said the 34 golden retrievers remained in the ownership of GRE and would be returned once the investigation was completed.

Ms St James, who started GRE in 2017 with her father Nicolas Grant-St James, said the dogs were not being re-homed as previously reported.

She said: “We would have to sign them over to them for that to happen, and we will not do that.”

The dogs were taken when RSPCA and police officers attended the establishment on Tuesday (May 28) to serve a warrant.

It followed Somerset Council revoking a licence for GRE, which is near Carhampton.

Revocation took immediate effect on the grounds of ‘protecting the welfare of the animals as well as breaching license conditions and regulations’.

Ms Grant-St James said she and Mr Grant-St James were ‘completely dumbfounded’ by the council’s sudden decision and would be appealing against it.