Disgusted over dog’s death

Jul 15 2008 by Our Correspondent, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

I MUST express my disgust at Kirklees Council regarding the story you printed on the “stray dog”. I understand it is the law that a stray dog must be kept for seven days and the bill must be paid by the appropriate council.

But surely after that time if the kennels who board the dogs and the animal charities who re-home dogs agree a dog is suitable for re-homing they should make the decision, not the council. After all, the boarding kennels will have had the most experience with the said dog and animal charities have had great experience in the field of rehabilitating dogs.

The council stated that they had received several complaints from an Emley resident that the dog had been pestering the resident’s own dog, which was in season. Ever heard the saying “doing what comes naturally”? It is the most natural thing for local dogs to pester bitches in season.

Did the resident who complained to Kirklees not realise there are many preparations available to buy that stop a dog getting the scent of a bitch in season? If they had the sad story may never have happened. It is a well-known fact that a dog will travel many miles once the scent of a bitch in season is found.

Forty years ago when I owned a female dog, a dog would live in my garden for most of the three weeks of my bitch’s season. He came for several years; we never found out where he came from.

Once a dog rescue charity takes ownership of a rescue dog they accept full responsibility for it, so there was no chance of Kirklees being held responsible.

What a sad story, what a sad end. Perhaps it should be made law that every dog is microchipped.

R K

Brighouse

‘You should be ashamed’

I WRITE in great disgust regarding the destroying of the little stray dog. Kirklees Council, the dog warden and Springfield Boarding Kennels at Ossett should be ashamed of themselves, particularly as Halfway Home Dog Rescue in Newark, Nottinghamshire, offered to take the dog.

For many years I encouraged my pupils to care for cats, dogs and others and as a result was awarded the Outstanding Achievement badge of the PDSA. I later served as chairman and founder of the Animal Health Trust’s Staffordshire branch for 23 years, so disgust beyond all telling is mine.

D L

Huddersfield