Pets Corner tycoon Dean Richmond has been blasted by furious neighbours after a huge fireworks display at his £4million estate left a horse so badly injured it had to be put down.
Mr Richmond, 52, was forced to issue a grovelling apology after the celebrations spectacularly backfired and led to an angry confrontation with villagers.
But he also warned that he would call in police over ‘any aggressive or threatening behaviour’ directed towards him.
It comes as one local resident branded Mr Richmond ‘a selfish idiot’ while others hit out at the ‘hypocrisy’ of the businessman whose firm boasts of being the UK’s leading ethical pet retailer.
Just days before Mr Richmond hosted his party, the company posted online guidance warning owners to keep animals calm during firework season.
The advice was deleted from the firm’s page shortly after the Bonfire Night party was held at Mr Richmond’s his Grade II-listed, seven-bedroom home in West Sussex.
Mr Richmond moved into the property after splitting with his wife Karen last October. Earlier this year the Daily Mail told how the couple are now embroiled in an acrimonious £100 million divorce battle.
The flamboyant tycoon is now dating stunning model Sarah Louise Wiffen, 38. Ms Wiffen attended the fireworks display.
Pets Corner tycoon Dean Richmond (pictured) issued a grovelling apology after a huge fireworks display at his £4m estate left a horse so badly injured it had to be put down
Mr Richmond held a Bonfire Night party at his Grade II-listed, seven-bedroom home in West Sussex
Trouble flared after Mr Richmond organised what he said was intended to be ‘a short, family-friendly’ celebration’.
Locals told how the ‘bomb-like’ firework display – which formed part of a fully catered event with musical acts – sent animals in nearby paddocks into panic.
It’s alleged that during the display, which locals said lasted for 15 minutes, one horse from a neighbouring paddock bolted in terror before suffering ‘catastrophic’ injuries after crashing into a fence.
The animal was reportedly found collapsed in its field shortly after the fireworks began and had to be put down by a vet.
Footage posted on Instagram by Sarah Louise captures the sky above the estate erupting into blinding colour as wave after wave of fireworks explode overhead.
Locals said the noise was so fierce it sounded like a ‘bomb’ going off and left their pets cowering in fear and distress’.
A number of angry local residents claimed they had not been given any warning that the display, which started at 6pm on Saturday evening, was going to take place.
One described how her rescue dog was left terrified by explosions which she said were ‘so powerful and loud’ that they left their ‘windows and doors shaking in their homes’.
She told the Daily Mail: ‘It was terrifically loud, to the point where you could feel it in your body, it felt like waves hitting the house.
‘Someone who is the leader of a business that claims to be ethical and care about pets should perhaps review his personal ethics and see if he aligns with the business he runs.
Mr Richmond moved into the £4m estate after splitting with his wife Karen last October
‘You have a responsibility, as a senior businessperson, responsible for a large organisation that claims to care for pets, you have a public position and an important position in society.’
Posting a video on Facebook as the night sky was lit up by the thunderous barrage, she wrote: ‘Surrounded by farmland and livestock and with absolutely no warning for the community – the first bang genuinely sounded like a bomb going off.
‘They were so powerful and loud that locals reported windows and doors shaking in their homes.
‘When he was told of the distress the display was causing to horses, he allegedly laughed and said he could do what he wanted on his private property.
‘Sadly, he seems to have totally disregarded the Animal Welfare Act.
‘The hypocrisy and irony of the man, that claims on his website to care about our pets, behaving this way is wild.’
‘A horse had to be pts (put to sleep) locally today due to injuries sustained in the field at some point overnight.
‘I’ll let you decide if you think the two events are related or not.’
Another local resident Anne Gartside posted a message saying the ‘massive firework display’ had caused ‘great distress to the horses and animals that live around’ Mr Richmond’s house.
Neighbours complained that the noise coming from the house, which is surrounded by farmland and livestock, sounded like a bomb going off
She added: ‘‘He didn’t give the neighbours the courtesy of letting them know about his fireworks party. And one horse dead.
As anger erupted, one neighbour posted an apology letter from Mr Richmond into the village Facebook group, in which he wrote: ‘It was never my intention to cause inconvenience or distress.’
He insisted he had informed ‘several neighbours nearby’ in advance, adding: ‘But with hindsight, I appreciate that I should have shared that information more widely.
‘I am genuinely sorry for any upset this may have caused.
‘The event was carefully planned to take place earlier in the evening to minimise disruption and the bonfire area was securely fenced to protect any nearby wildlife.
‘The display itself was conducted by a professional fireworks company and intended as a celebration with friends, family and local neighbours.’
Other residents told of pets ‘vomiting, losing control of their bowels’ or displaying signs of extreme distress.
One neighbour in her eighties was convinced someone was trying to break into her home.
Another local, who asked not to be named, said she went to confront Mr Richmond about the chaos unfolding in her stables – but claimed he immediately dismissed her concerns.
She said: ‘He laughed in my face and said, “No, I don’t need to let anyone know, it’s my land, it’s my property, I can do what I want, it’s not illegal, they should have been in their stables”.
‘That brand is built on fostering relationships with the local community, he’s absolutely demolished that now.’
‘He knew what he was doing. He’d obviously paid an absolute fortune, it was fireworks to music.’
Mr Richmond strongly denies laughing at the resident, writing in his apology letter: ‘I want to make it absolutely clear that this is untrue.
One neighbour posted an apology letter from Mr Richmond into the village Facebook group, in which he wrote: ‘It was never my intention to cause inconvenience or distress’
‘I took her comments seriously and was sorry to learn she was upset.
‘I was deeply saddened to hear that a horse may have been injured and subsequently put to sleep. This is truly distressing news and I am in direct contact with the owners.
‘The field where the horses were kept is over 800 metres from the display site which I had understood to be outside the area likely to be affected.’
He added: ‘As someone who cares deeply about animals – including my own two dogs – I am sincerely sorry for any distress the event may have caused.
‘Please be assured that I will not be holding any further fireworks displays in the future.’
Offering his email address for residents to contact him directly, Mr Richmond concluded: ‘I very much want to live in the village for many years with my family, and I truly wish to contribute positively to its success and the wellbeing of all our fellow residents.’
Another horse owner said the noise was so loud she initially thought a plane had exploded.
She said: ‘I have never, ever heard anything like it. I thought a plane had exploded above the house.
‘One of my dogs was so frightened, she wet herself. I went straight out to see to my horses. One was trying to jump out of his stable.
‘He was so panicked, running around, he pulled his shoes off. I had to throw bails of hay in and managed to throw a blanket over him and get a sedative into him.
‘One of my other horses is still frantic 48 hours later. It’s heartbreaking. Even now, any noise and he’s hysterical.
‘This is just not something you do in a tiny little village with country folk. What a selfish idiot. I bet he does it again on New Year’s Eve.
‘When people do things to your animals, it brings out the worst in you.’
Pets Corner later issued a statement distancing itself from the event, stressing it was a private matter and not company-related.
But in a bid to reassure staff and customers ‘who may have become aware of the situation’ the statement added: ‘Dean was brought up on a smallholding surrounded by animals – horses, ducks, bantams, tortoises, dogs, and cats, among others.
Pets Corner issued a statement distancing itself from the event, stressing it was a private matter and not company-related
‘His mother was a keen horse rider, and Dean himself also rode. His grandparents spent part of their lives working as farmers.
‘Dean’s family are the founders of Pets Corner, and the business has grown from this family background of living closely with animals and caring deeply for them.
‘An annual firework display was a long-standing family tradition when Dean was growing up, with his parents hosting small bonfire events for friends and family.
‘Dean wished to continue this tradition by holding a similar event at his home this year for friends, family, and neighbours.
‘The bonfire was lit at approximately 6:00pm, followed by the main firework display at around 6:15 pm, which lasted for six and a half minutes.’
The company said Mr Richmond had received mixed feedback from residents: ‘Following the event, Dean received feedback from a number of local residents – some expressed appreciation and enjoyment of the display, while others raised concerns.’
It repeated Richmond’s denial that he had laughed at residents saying: ‘During the evening, a woman arrived at the property and was verbally aggressive towards Dean’s children and then towards Dean himself regarding the fireworks.
‘Contrary to some reports, Dean did not laugh about the situation – this claim is entirely untrue.
‘Dean’s home is situated a distance from the main village and is surrounded by farmland and public footpaths.
‘He personally informed his nearest neighbours – including two local farms covering large areas around his property – about the event.
‘Unfortunately, he did not realise that others further away might be impacted. He accepts that he should have communicated more widely and regrets this oversight.
‘The following day, a horse owner from a property over 800 metres away informed Dean that one of their horses had panicked during the evening, resulting in a broken leg, and that the animal had to be put to sleep.
‘Dean is in contact with the owners. Dean, his family, and everyone at Pets Corner are devastated by this tragic news. We all share deep sadness over what has happened.
‘There were other displays this evening in the area, and we would like to remind people that social media is not always a fair or balanced forum.
The flamboyant Pets Corner tycoon is now dating stunning model Sarah Louise Wiffen (pictured), 38, who attended the fireworks display
Pets Corner was founded in 1968 by Dean’s parents Mark and Sandra Richmond. He joined the business in 1989
Mr Richmond is embroiled in an acrimonious £100million divorce battle with his wife Karen
‘Some of the comments and accusations circulating online are untrue.
‘Any aggressive or threatening behaviour directed toward Dean, his family, or any member of the Pets Corner community will be reported to the police and dealt with appropriately.
‘This event was intended purely as an enjoyable gathering for friends, family, and neighbours.
‘Dean never intended to upset anyone or cause harm of any kind – that is simply not who he is – and he is extremely sorry for anyone affected by it.’
After Mr Richmond split from Karen following 10 years of marriage he moved out of the lavish five-bedroom £3million home where the couple lived with their three children which is just ten minutes down the road from his new property.
The warring couple have already appeared in the High Court for two divorce hearings with another scheduled for later in the year. A final hearing has been listed for ten days next April.
Sources told the Daily Mail his marriage started unravelling in 2023 when Karen developed Breast Implant Illness (BII) caused by breast implants she had more than a decade earlier reacting adversely to her body.
