Harrassment still going on
Recently we received the following email, posted as written, except some minor changes to anonymise the sender. Another dog killed. Because they can.
I live in a town in the Waikato, over the past month, my dealings with the local animal control have been really bad, to the point now where i feel i am being harassed because of a personal vendetta.
All of this nightmare began on the 9th of Feb, when at noon, the animal control guy knocked on my dog..no introduction just you know why I'm here, I was bewildered. He then proceeded to tell me that my 4 yr old staffie, mastiff crossed , had apparently nipped the postie. And she was seriously injured on the 5th of Feb. I was still bewildered. because the dog was always with me. He asked had I been near people that day I said i took the dog for his usual morning walk and he was beside me when I checked the mail and spoke to the postie. There was no biting or any aggressive behaviour from the dog. He also said that there were numerous complaints about the dog rushing the fence, yet all he did was bark.
I was given the option to have him classed as dangerous or destroy him n threatened with courts etc if I didn’t comply. The dog was destroyed the next day.. i was never told about the complaints nor given any notice of menacing behaviour or anything so i wrote an official complaint and got no response.. i called a few people including an animal law lawyer and the institute of animal control officers and they all said he had acted illegally and did not follow procedure. I went to the council about it and they said its the end of the matter, procedures were followed...i was heartbroken and still am.
My partner and kids were taking losing our dog hard as well, so my partner decided to get another dog .. one of a gentle nature a german shepherd cross. I refused to let the dog out of my sight for fear of someone saying something etc.. Last Thursday 20th.. at 4.30pm i hear the gate open ..i was doing dishes with the dog at my feet.. I'm like who is that oh crap dog might get out or something.. i go to the front and look and its the animal control guy again he stopped halfway up the path handed me a piece of paper and said this is for you. I'm like OK.. unsure of what it was , it turned out to be a $200 infringement (Failure to keep dog under control), for the dead Staffie cross.. a week after his death .., I then proceeded to go back inside, i stopped and watched the guy going out the gate. Our dog walked around the corner and saw him there and barked twice, i told her no and she stopped. Her barking must have startled the guy because he spun around, the sudden movement made the dog cower.
Nothing was said or done... at the time..then today 26th of Feb.. i was leaving to pick my kids up from school, dog was locked away in her kennel, i walk put the gate and check the mail and theres a letter in there.. Notification of classification as menacing for the current dog. I was very angry and really confused, i got my kids from school, came home just after 3pm.. i get straight on the phone to the Council.. as I'm talking to the C.E.O.. a police cars pulls up out front with the animal control guy behind him .. the C.E.Os telling me he's heard this and that and will talk with the animal control guy and myself, then he hangs up.
The guy is standing there with papers I'm asked why are u here and he said to seize the dog i asked what?! He said shes been classed as menacing I'm like why when she has not done a thing.. he proceeded to tell me that when he was giving me the infringement on the 20th.. the dog had shown territorial aggression and she was going to attack him.. I'm like really? I saw the whole thing she barked at you and that was it... he said ive been doing this for 30 yrs i shpuld know these things and i know what i saw and then said she has a gentle nature .. he scoffed at me .. i said you do realize she originally came from the SPCA before the previous owners haf her hes like so why do i care i said if she was aggressive in anyway how could she pass the behavioural test hes like doesnt matter dont care, he then told me that my dog was seen wandering this morning between 8-8.30am .. by an employee at the IHC house across the road and she apparantly tried attacking an elderly lady... which I find hard to believe because she was in her kennel the whole time until i put her on her leash at 8.30 to take her for a walk ony way to drop the kids off at school, he said i was lying and i said the teacher on road patrol saw me because we spoke for a few mins. He said ok.. then said my dog was clearly identified by the person and he has written statements and then said the dog was seen to enter my property... i said well how can it be my dog is shes locked away and then on a leash .. he shrugged and said she was witnessed by several people and also said if she is on a leash , she was supposed to be muzzled i said umm how can i know about the classification if i only just got the notice an hour ago.. he said you should have got it yesterday i said i check the mail twice a day hes like ok ill give you the benefit of the doubt because of the discrepancy ... so i will not seize the dog but the classification stays and if i see or hear anything I'm taking the dog end of and there's a slim chance you will get her back, then left.
I have written a letter of objection in regards to the classification notice and attatched a letter written by the dogs previous owner who is also a vet nurse, puppy trainer and has experience with dog behaviour. The SPCA where she came from has been contacted also. I'm not sure what else to do and I feel I am being caressed ... I don't know what to do.
Do you know what to do dear reader?