In Our Local Paper

[juice]

i just read the article in my local paper, i know there are 2 sides, but i thought it was a real shame

the owner is an older guy, his dog is 13, staffy x mastiff according to him, never been in trouble , but 4 weeks ago rangers came and siezed the dog saying it was a restricted breed.

they had warned him the dog had to be desexed, and a cage built, he said he got him desexed, although he was worried doing it as he was old, but he wouldn't build a cage.

he says the dog is not a pit, has never been in trouble, and now he fears the dog will be pts.

such a shame, dog looks like any xbull breed in the pound.

[WreckitWhippet]

Sounds like they handed him an NOI and the owner failed to challenge it, so they went ahead and declared.

13 years old is a bit rough

ETA: If they didn't hand him an NOI, then he's well within his rights go to the council and demand his dog back.

Edited March 18, 2010 by SBT123

[juice]

i know i thought it was rough too, blacktown pound is no place for a 13 year old dog

[shel]

Ugly, ugly stuff

http://www.blacktownsun.com.au/news/local/...en/1777712.aspx

Don't kill my mate

Man's best friend is taken

BY RODERICK SHAW

16 Mar, 2010 01:45 PM

BLACKTOWN dog owner Jock Coulter had his best friend taken away four weeks ago and has not even been told if his mate is still alive.

His dog, Royce, is a 13-year-old cross staffordshire terrier and bull mastiff.

Mr Coulter fought back tears as he described how pound officers, accompanied by police, came to his door and demanded his dog.

"They said he's a dangerous breed; they say he's a pit bull,'' he said.

"I said: `No he's not; I can prove that'.''

He said Royce has never harmed any person or any other animal.

"He's so timid, he's scared of his own shadow,'' Mr Coulter said.

He said he did not know if Blacktown pound was acting on any complaints, nor could he see that any complaint was justified.

He said council officers previously told him he would have to desex Royce and build a special backyard cage for him.

Mr Coulter had his dog desexed, despite his age, but said it was cruel and unnecessary to build a cage.

Blacktown councillor Russ Dickens, who is also a veterinarian, said taking Mr Coulter's dog from him was an outrage.

"It's reprehensible and draconian that this still happens in Blacktown,'' Cr Dickens said.

He said he has treated Mr Coulter's dog over the years and was unaware of any complaints about him.

"I'll be following this up,'' he said.

A Blacktown Council spokesman said Royce was alive and in an animal holding facility.

"The dog was seized because it was deemed a restricted breed and the owner had failed to comply with the legislated requirements for housing the dog,'' he said.

"The owner had continually failed to meet the legal requirements with regard to housing the dog despite numerous requests by the council.''

Mr Coulter said: "If Royce had done something wrong I'd understand.

"I wouldn't keep a dog that bit people.''

[RottnBullies]

Absolutely F&*^%^%%$ disgusting

How pathetic are they to target a senior dog, that's probably got no pit In it what so ever!!!! and is likely to keel over soon due to old age!

This Is a joke, appalling and just so damn wrong on so many levels

ETA: Spelling, coz I'm so Fn angry reading this shit!

Edited March 18, 2010 by RottnBullies

[tarope]

Good old Blacktown council strikes again, what a bloody joke. BSL gone mad and the dog is not a banned breed, what a bunch of wankers Blacktown council is. Blacktown pound is no place for any dog.

[Skruffy n Flea]

what an absolute godawful situation for that poor dog and his owner! thru no fault of his own, or his owner, bureaucratic bs heaves its mighy chest and dictates that even tho his owner did castrate him, he did not cage him, and so therefore it is justified to dislocate this golden oldie animal that bears no dna resemblance to those breeds classified as Restricted Breeds and Declared Dangerous Dogs...

someone, plse, explain why do i not get it?

[GeckoTree]

You dont get it, because theres nothing sane about BSL. Nothing.

Only the insane could justify this.

It's completly offensive to a rational mind. I hope what ever help or guidence is available this bloke and his old dog get any assistance they need if it's not to late.

Edited March 19, 2010 by GeckoTree

[chrisjc]

poor old buggers, lets hope that they will see the error of their ways so he can see out his life the proper way.

[justin19801]

Strike up another victory for the R$PCA and their support for B$L.

Is it possible to start up a media campaign for this poor guy and his pet?

Anyone have any ideas? Maybe picket the council or R$PCA head office?

[geo]

Strike up another victory for the R$PCA and their support for B$L.

Is it possible to start up a media campaign for this poor guy and his pet?

Anyone have any ideas? Maybe picket the council or R$PCA head office?

Too true, poor old fellas, will it now be the case of the RSPCA doing whatever the government wants seen as they are giving them $1 million over the next couple of years alone in WA.

Absolutely disgusting.

The way it's going all dogs will soon be culled to one type of breed that must be no more than 15" tall, no more than 15kgs, Toothless, barkless etc.. shit they may aswell become stuffed toys if they keep going down this road, and we'll all own a Japanese built electronic dog!!!!!!!

[Jed]

What has worked before, so will probably work again - is letters to the editor of the paper - not nasty ones, well argued, well written ones. Letters or emails to the council and councillors. Contact ACA or whoever with the aim of getting a story on this on TV. They may not do it, but then again - contact all current affairs programs.

Sounds like an over enthusiastic ACO to me, without reading much about it, so public pressure needs to be applied via the media, and to the council.

[tybrax]

Absolutely disgusting Emailing a reporter tybrax

Edited March 20, 2010 by tybrax

[juice]

thankyou tybrax, i live near blacktown pound, if i can be of any help, please let me know.

i did pm a rescuer i know who goes to bp to see if royce is there, and how he is, but no response.

[RottnBullies]

Just got confirmation that Royce Is back home where he belongs!

There should be a follow up story happening soon

[Skruffy n Flea]

i am soooo happy to hear that! thanks rottn

[KKDD]

Im delighted for this man and his dog. And Im sure Blacktown ratepayers would prefer their council had more important things to do than persecute battlers and their pets.

I see a previous poster thought the RSPCA supports BSL - if thats the case its not universal. The RSPCA in ACT currently has a pure APBT available on their website available for adoption to the public. Hats off to them.

[tybrax]

Royce is Free.

http://www.blacktownsun.com.au/news/local/...om/1801248.aspx

High price for freedom

BY RODERICK SHAW

13 Apr, 2010 09:09 AM

ROYCE the dog has come home to his Blacktown owner, Jock Coulter, seven weeks after his removal by Blacktown pound.

``I'm ecstatic; I just felt elation when told I could take him home,'' Mr Coulter said.

``He's my best friend; the only one happy to see me every day.''

Royce, a 13-year-old mastiff-cross, was seized by Blacktown pound officers who said he was a pit bull and therefore a dangerous dog.

However, Mr Coulter said Royce was not a pit bull, nor had he ever attacked anyone or another animal.

Blacktown councillor and veterinarian, Russ Dickens, said he had treated the dog for years and had never heard any complaints about him.

Mr Coulter also said he was told he had to build a backyard enclosure for Royce, which he said cost him a great deal of money.

But last week he had his dog professionally assessed for its breed.

``She [the assessor] said Royce was half mastiff and half ridgeback,'' he said.

He said the pound then allowed him to take Royce home and wished them well.

Mr Coulter said he was happy to have his dog home, but unhappy about what had happened to him.

``Look at the costs I've incurred building that cage in my backyard,'' he said.

``I still don't know what Royce is supposed to have done.

``It's ground me down; I can't say what it's done to me.''

Mr Coulter said he was worried the same thing could happen to another dog owner.

Cr Dickens has asked Blacktown Council officers for an explanation of the affair.

The Sun contacted Blacktown Council for comment, but it could not reply in time for publication.

In the meantime, Mr Coulter is dismantling the cage once meant for Royce.

``I'll keep a bit of it for a garden shed,'' he said.

tybrax

[SoL]

I'm glad teh dog is back home. Does anybody know if council followed proper procedure as set out in ss33+ of the CAA? If not then there is surely a huge case to answer? The only reason I ask is that by those reports it sounds like they just rocked up and took the dog with no NOI or chance to object.

[Wazzat Xolo]

I do hope Mr Coulter gets an apology and some form of compensation for all this trauma he and Royce have been put through, may make over zealous ACOs think before they make a statement!