A $750 fine given to an Invercargill couple who rescued a
lost puppy has been waived following a public outcry.
Sue Hedges and her husband took in a lost bichon-maltese
cross and spent two days going between vet clinics, the
Invercargill City Council and the SPCA trying to track down
its owner.
When an animal control officer came to her home to seize the
dog on Tuesday, Mrs Hedges refused to hand over the dog ,
saying she was afraid it would be hurt if it was caged with
bigger and more aggressive dogs.
She was cited for "wilful obstruction of a dog control
officer" and fined $750.
The story, which appeared in The Southland Times
yesterday, sparked a flurry of public condemnation about the
council's animal control policy
Two council representatives, including environmental and
planning services director William Watt, visited Mrs Hedges
yesterday to collect the dog and waive the fine.
Mr Watt said while the officer's actions had been
"technically correct", there could have been an error of
judgment.
"They are human. Occasionally they make the wrong
(decision)," he said.
Mrs Hedges said she was pleased the fine had been waived, but
the incident highlighted the need for the council to look at
its animal control policy.
"We were treated as criminals," she said. "There's definitely
something wrong."
The dog was reunited with its owner yesterday.
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