Friday 10 December 2010

So, We Can't Defend Our Homes Against Burglars...

...and now we can't defend our pets against out-of-control animals on our own property either:
Jez Newsome, prosecuting, told the court: ‘A neighbour’s dog got into his (Deeley’s) garden and attacked his own dog. The defendant said he had “no option” but to find something to attack it.’
As would anyone.

In fact, if he'd been a farmer, there'd be no question of his right to protect his livestock. So why does the family pet not get the same protection?
...Deeley was arrested and taken away for questioning.

He appeared before magistrates in ­Coventry, West Midlands, on Tuesday charged with criminal damage.
So, what are you supposed to do, in these situations? Call the police?

Oh. Maybe not.
The German Shepherd bitch was a police dog being kept temporarily at Supt Pendry’s home.

Yesterday the Airedale terrier’s owner, Virginia Freeman, 50, told how she was walking her five-year-old bitch Bassie on a golf course near her home in Ruislip, north-west London, when the incident happened.

‘Suddenly I heard a woman’s voice shouting,’ she said. ‘Then I spotted a huge German Shepherd running towards my dog, who was rooted to the spot in terror.

‘The German Shepherd jumped on Bassie and started biting her in the belly. The woman came running up and rugby tackled the German Shepherd to the floor.

‘I asked the woman if she was alright and she told me to “just go”.

‘Then the German Shepherd came running up behind me and ripped Bassie’s underbelly again, like a lion bringing down its prey.’ *
Charming...
Since the attack on March 5, Mrs Freeman has urged the police to investigate Supt Pendry for breaching the Dangerous Dogs Act, under which it is a criminal offence for a dog to be ‘dangerously out of control in a public place’.

She also complained to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, arguing that Supt Pendry had been protected due to her rank, but this was rejected.

Mrs Freeman says Supt Pendry has never apologised. The Metropolitan Police paid Mrs Freeman’s veterinary costs of £284.20.

* H/T Inspector Gadget blog

8 comments:

JJ said...

Why do we have dog leads?

It's the not apologising that wrankles with me. This Supt Pendry knew she was in the wrong here but refused to acknowledge that.

A dog of this size should be on a lead at the very least.

Woman on a Raft said...

What JJ said applies equally to the other case.

patently said...

We have a little Jack Russell/Whippet cross. She's an old girl now, but in her younger days she was attacked (on different occasions) by a pit bull and by a German shepherd.

Both came off worse. Both were somewhat surprised that this tiny little bitch was so quick on her feet, so determined, and had such big teeth.

Choose your victims with care, is all I say.

Angry Exile said...

I'm surprised. From the title and opening sentence I really expected the cold, dead hand of the RSPCA to be in there somewhere. Anyway, you can hardly blame the bitch - it's just a case of police doing what police do.

Dogs! Sorry, I meant dogs.

Captain Haddock said...

This would appear to be the same Supt Julia Pendry, quoted in today's MSM .. giving "voice" (as old dogs often do) about the scum-bags involved in yesterday's London rioting ..

JuliaM said...

"It's the not apologising that wrankles with me."

Indeed. I wonder if the ACPO training drums it into them?

"What JJ said applies equally to the other case."

It certainly does. The case will be interesting, I suspect, when it gets to court.

"Both came off worse. Both were somewhat surprised that this tiny little bitch was so quick on her feet, so determined, and had such big teeth."

It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog...

"Dogs! Sorry, I meant dogs."

Heh! :)

"This would appear to be the same Supt Julia Pendry, quoted in today's MSM .. giving "voice" (as old dogs often do) about the scum-bags involved in yesterday's London rioting .."

It was indeed, that's what raised the topic at Gadget's.

Hogdayafternoon said...

I've never seen a Superintendent actually running.

Nick2 said...

‘She apologised to Mrs Freeman immediately, but was not aware at the time that the dog was injured. When this was brought to her attention, she offered to make a contribution towards the vet’s bill.

If my dog bit another one, I'd expect at the very least to pay all relevant vet's expenses.

Agreed that the first case could be interesting if it gets to court.