The extensively criticised killing of a canine by Gisborne District Council employees was not the primary time a household pet has been put down within the area with out the proprietor’s information.
In an uncanny parallel, a canine by the identical identify was additionally destroyed by the council within the Nineteen Eighties, with the distraught proprietor solely discovering out after they arrived again from vacation.
Last Friday, household pet Sarge was taken to the Gisborne pound after the council says it discovered him wandering on the road.
He was killed later that day with out the proprietor’s information, in what is known to be a case of mistaken identification.
Now a courtroom doc supplied to Local Democracy Reporting exhibits that in 1984, the council destroyed a corgi — additionally named Sarge — after it was accused of worrying sheep by a neighbour.
The proprietor was on vacation with household in Hastings on the time, and solely came upon about what had occurred upon returning home.
The saga unfolded inside the course of sooner or later, when on September 20, 1984 council canine ranger John Lee was knowledgeable that two dogs have been worrying sheep within the Newton Street space.
The concern was over by the point Lee arrived, however he was capable of confirm that one of many dogs belonged to a close-by resident.
That resident, which the doc refers to as Mr Edmundson, agreed to have his canine put down. He additionally advised Lee that the opposite canine concerned lived throughout the road.
When Lee arrived on the second tackle, he was greeted by a girl known as Mrs Te Pairi, who was the aged aunt of the corgi’s proprietor, Margaret Takiwai.
Te Pairi was taking care of the property and canine whereas relations have been in Hastings for a number of days, and was described within the courtroom doc as being “the kind of person who would be inclined to agree with suggestions put to her”. Evidence was additionally provided that Te Pairi didn’t discover it simple to grasp strangers.
Upon Lee discussing the issue with Te Pairi and telling her the most effective plan of action was to place the corgi down, he stated he was suggested by the aged aunt he might take the animal.
Te Pairi then collected Sarge from the property and handed it over to Lee, who requested her to get Takiwai to name him when she was again from her journey.
Both dogs have been put down by the tip of the day.
When she returned to Gisborne, Takiwai was extraordinarily upset to study her pet had been killed and took authorized motion in opposition to Lee.
That included $3000 for trespass to land, $150 for the canine and $5000 for aggravated or exemplary damages for Lee’s “arrogant and oppressive conduct”.
The courtroom doc famous Lee knew the canine belonged to Takiwai as a result of he had requested her to have it registered a short while earlier than the saga unfolded.
The choose who presided over the unique case stated Lee gained the “distinct impression” from Te Pairi that she had the authority to take care of the canine.
Following a May 1985 choice which dominated in favour of Lee, Takiwai lodged an attraction which was heard in February 1986.
The following month, it was deemed Lee was finishing up his duties with a “genuine, though mistaken” understanding that Te Pairi had authority over the canine.
However,the courtroom by no means established for sure if Sarge was one of many two dogs that anxious sheep.
Takiwai gained the attraction partially based mostly on the worth of the canine, however the success was described as “minor” and each events have been beneficial to pay their very own prices.
The house owners of the canine killed final week by the council stated they didn’t assist the concept of fundraising for his or her loss, because it was not in regards to the money for them.
“He was our world and now he has gone, and nothing we say or do will bring him back.”
By Matthew Rosenberg, Local Democracy Reporter
Public Interest Journalism funded via NZ On Air
