ktlight
29th July 2011, 05:35
FYI:
When her loyal labrador became old, frail and slow, pensioner Pauline Spoor simply couldn’t bear to have him put down.
Living alone, she relied on the constant companionship of 18-year-old Dexter, who although suffering from severe arthritis and conjunctivitis, would sit quietly by her feet.
But while Mrs Spoor accepts her devotion to her sickly pet was misguided, it has brought a draconian response from authorities which has left her shocked, humiliated and, she says, treated like a common yob.
The 71-year-old was this week hauled before the courts where, convicted of animal cruelty, she was ordered to wear an electronic tag on her ankle as part of a three-month curfew.
And the grandmother has been warned that if she breaks the community order, which forbids her leaving her house at night, she could even be sent to prison. Yesterday Mrs Spoor said: ‘I know I’ve done wrong but I feel absolutely humiliated at having to wear a tag as if I am some common criminal. It just seems so over the top.
‘I was simply guilty of being too blinded by love. Yes, he was walking slow, but I am too. We both had arthritis. I still miss him even now. He was my best friend. I knew I was wrong for not putting him to sleep, but I thought as long as his tail was still wagging and he was still wanting to come out to the field with me, I could wait a few more days.’
The grandmother, who was ordered to pay £250 costs, said: ‘I’ve never hurt an animal in my life. To be given a tag, I thought was disgusting.
‘I always thought they gave people an electronic tag if they’ve got an Asbo or if they are some kind of violent yob.’
Police broke into the pensioner’s home in Hattersley, Greater Manchester, in May after being alerted by RSPCA officials.
They found Dexter suffering from medical conditions including fur loss, arthritis, lameness in his hind leg and conjunctivitis.
source to read more
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2019685/Grandmother-Pauline-Spoor-convicted-animal-cruelty-wear-electronic-tag.html
When her loyal labrador became old, frail and slow, pensioner Pauline Spoor simply couldn’t bear to have him put down.
Living alone, she relied on the constant companionship of 18-year-old Dexter, who although suffering from severe arthritis and conjunctivitis, would sit quietly by her feet.
But while Mrs Spoor accepts her devotion to her sickly pet was misguided, it has brought a draconian response from authorities which has left her shocked, humiliated and, she says, treated like a common yob.
The 71-year-old was this week hauled before the courts where, convicted of animal cruelty, she was ordered to wear an electronic tag on her ankle as part of a three-month curfew.
And the grandmother has been warned that if she breaks the community order, which forbids her leaving her house at night, she could even be sent to prison. Yesterday Mrs Spoor said: ‘I know I’ve done wrong but I feel absolutely humiliated at having to wear a tag as if I am some common criminal. It just seems so over the top.
‘I was simply guilty of being too blinded by love. Yes, he was walking slow, but I am too. We both had arthritis. I still miss him even now. He was my best friend. I knew I was wrong for not putting him to sleep, but I thought as long as his tail was still wagging and he was still wanting to come out to the field with me, I could wait a few more days.’
The grandmother, who was ordered to pay £250 costs, said: ‘I’ve never hurt an animal in my life. To be given a tag, I thought was disgusting.
‘I always thought they gave people an electronic tag if they’ve got an Asbo or if they are some kind of violent yob.’
Police broke into the pensioner’s home in Hattersley, Greater Manchester, in May after being alerted by RSPCA officials.
They found Dexter suffering from medical conditions including fur loss, arthritis, lameness in his hind leg and conjunctivitis.
source to read more
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2019685/Grandmother-Pauline-Spoor-convicted-animal-cruelty-wear-electronic-tag.html