Ross Penn and that Stray

Ross Penn & That Stray

Update: She's still alive for now (Tuesday, 29 December 11:00) - They have agreed not to take any action without advising Ross. We'll see.

Update: Ross tells me that this dog was not thin, in fact she had no ribs showing. He also tells me that it has been around 3 years since he last contacted Hamilton City Council...a little character assassination?

Original Story Here:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3194308/Pensioner-pleads-for-doomed-stray-dog

Having spoken with Ross Penn, APBTA Inc can add some details. And ugly details they are too.

Ross has offered to adopt this little dog, left roaming at large and unwanted it seems, and to pay all of her expenses to the council dog catchers.

He was told by one of their complaints people (Karina) that the dog "Is as good as dead. Get over it".

More on that typically callous attitude here

Ross, a pensioner as we know, is prepared to spend a significant amount of his own money fighting for this dog's life, a dog who was unknown to him before she turned up out of the blue. He's being treated like this for his trouble and concern?

Now, where have we seen this before?

Invercargill City Council dog catchers telling Robyn Kippenberger and her SPCA staff to "harden up" over the destruction of 6 Rottie pups killed in their facility, justified by their dingaling Mayor Tim Shadbolt with accusations that they were Pit Bulls. Not according to the SPCA inspector we spoke to.

Then we saw a rescuer threatened with a whopping fine for putting a pup's welfare first in refusing to allow this puppy to go to the pound where he may have been injured by bigger dogs.

Are these the sort of people we want in positions of power over us as dog owners and concerned citizens, ratepayers, and taxpayers - who after all fund the salaries of these ratbags? Is this appropriate behaviour from staff employed by an animal 'welfare' agency?

The dog Ross is fighting for is set to be wantonly killed Monday 28 December 2009 unless Ross can achieve a stay of execution. He has appealed to his local MP Tim Macindoe, and councillor John Gower.

Ross is in anguish over this nice little dog which he naively handed over to animal contractors who it would seem can't wait to kill her.

Why wouldn't Hamilton City allow the Waikato Times to photograph this dog? Because she doesn't look enough like a Pit Bull to justify her destruction, and they know it, is our bet.

Have your say about this:

Bryce Johns - Editor - Waikato Times - editor@waikatotimes.co.nzTim Macindoe - MP - tim.macindoemp@parliament.govt.nzRodney Hide - Minister for Local Government - rodney.hide@parliament.govt.nzJohn Gower - Councillor Hamilton City Council - john.gower@council.hcc.govt.nzDog lovers and reasonable people got rid of Tom Skeldon. We can get rid of the Karinas of this world as well.