Woof justice for pet dog Wilson

Reporter: Beatriz Ayala
Date online: 02 June 2009

A DOG owner was left devastated after a wrangle left his pedigree Staffordshire bull terrier locked up for a month.

Stephen Hogg’s 15-month-old pet, Wilson, went missing on April 20 after biting through its lead.

It was found by a resident in Station Road, Grotton, before being collected by Oldham Council’s dog warden.

However, a dispute between the council and Greater Manchester Police (GMP) about whether Wilson was a pit bull, which are illegal under the UK Dangerous Dogs Act, left Wilson stranded in a pound for a month.

Mr Hogg (30), of Oldham Road, Springhead, said: “It was only three days after he went missing someone told me he had been picked up by the dog warden.

“Wilson had initially been taken to Manchester Dogs Home but they wouldn’t accept him as they said he was a pit bull, so instead he was taken to a pound.

“I called the council and the police every day trying to get Wilson back. I wasn’t even told where he was being kept. The dog warden said they didn’t have to take responsibility for him because he was a dangerous dog, but GMP said it wasn’t a police matter and it was down to the council to get Wilson checked out.

“Wilson is microchipped and a registered pedigree so I don’t know why they didn’t check that way.”

Mr Hogg said the matter was only resolved when a meeting was held between the police and Oldham Environmental Services Department.

Once it was clarified that Wilson was not a dangerous dog, he was realeased, weighing eight kilos lighter.

Mr Hogg said: “He looked like a stray dog, it was like they’d returned a skeleton.

“He was dehydrated with flaking skin, fleas and a dry nose. He’s lost all his muscle so it seems like no one had been walking him.

“He’s normally like a big teddy bear but when he was returned he was subdued, tired and fed up. I was devastated and upset.

“I’m annoyed by the amount of time it took and how I was dealt with and the fact I wasn’t told where he was.”

Councillor Mark Alcock, cabinet member for environment and infrastructure, said: “There was a suspicion that the dog bore the characteristics of a pit bull type dog which is a banned breed under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

“As a result a decision was made by the council to refer the dog to Greater Manchester Police for examination.

“Had the council returned the dog without first having had it checked, it could have potentially faced legal action for allowing a banned dog back into the community.”

He added that Mr Hogg could contact the council to investigate his concerns.

A police spokesman said that as soon as it was declared that the dog was a legal breed it was returned to the ownery.

He said the police had gone above and beyond their remit to return the dog as soon as possible and that the kennels are not the police’s property.

Chief Insp Lynn Roby said: “GMP’s Dog Unit takes the welfare of dogs brought to the attention of the police very seriously.

“We always act with the best interests of the dog at heart but it must be understood that this has to be within legislative regulations.