Birmingham dog sitter's licence revoked over missing pets

Pablo and Maggie are among the dogs whose disappearances are being investigated by police

A dog sitter at the centre of a police investigation into missing pets has had her licence revoked.

Five dogs vanished last month, with one owner saying the Birmingham-based sitter told her they ran off when startled during a walk in woods.

Police became involved when owners contested the explanation.

Birmingham City Council said the dog-boarding licence had been revoked in June in connection with the inquiry into the missing animals.

A spokesman said the council was liaising with West Midlands Police "over the circumstances surrounding the loss of the five dogs".

On social media - where there has been a campaign to help find them - the pets are known as the "Tamworth Five", named after the town where they were said to have vanished.

Owner Becky Parsons - who queried the version of events she said the sitter gave her - is missing two dogs: Pablo, a black and white pug; and Maggie, a tan Jack Russell terrier cross.

In a Facebook post she said the animals were no longer alive but would not say how that had been confirmed to her.

West Midlands Police said none of the pets had been found and owners had not been contacted by officers to say the dogs had died.

Pugs Ralph and Charlie are missing

• Latest news from the West Midlands

Ms Parsons told the BBC "it's been five weeks of hell looking for them" and called the suggestion they had been lost a "fabrication".

The missing pets also include two pugs and a brindle French bulldog. Their owners have been contacted for comment.

According to a police statement, inquiries "into the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of a number of dogs that allegedly went missing under the care of a Birmingham-based sitter are continuing".

The force said officer were looking into whether the disappearances were linked to the discovery of a dog's remains about 200 miles away in Hastings, East Sussex.