A South Orange family says that they put their faith in the wrong person to care for their pets when they went away for vacation and that it cost them their pet’s life.

The Handelman family went away to San Diego for eight days in April and left their pets in the care of local dog walker Malcolm Boyle.

Boyle was to stay at the Handelmans’ home and care for their two dogs Frankie and Cooper. He would be paid $80 a day.

"We were very comfortable leaving him with our dogs.  He had worked for a couple of our neighbors.  We had seen him at backyard barbecues,” says Kathy Handelman.

But when the family returned home from their trip, they discovered one of the dogs had died.

"I just remember hearing the screaming coming from the basement.  My two daughters found Frankie dead,” Kathy says.

Kathy says that when she contacted Boyle he said nothing and has not spoken to the family since or offered an apology.

The Handelmans say that it was apparent to them that Boyle never stayed at their house and may not have taken the dogs out at all. They learned that Boyle was contracted to stay over two other homes in Maplewood during the same period.

"I've never actually had somebody so intentionally rip my family apart,” Kathy says.

Boyle pleaded guilty to animal cruelty in municipal court Wednesday. A judge sentenced him to two years’ probation and 100 hours of community service, plus fines and restitution of $4,500. He also has been barred from ever working with animals again.

The Handelmans say that they were hoping Boyle would receive jail time, but they say that they were pleased with his punishment.

Boyle apologized in court for what happened, but never once looked at the family.

The Handelmans' veterinarian was never able to determine a cause of death for Frankie.