Barking Up The Wrong Tree

Owner Fined £1200 For No Tag On Dog’s Collar

Dog owner Pietro Forgione, 51, is a little bit angry having been fined £1,200 for failing to tag his three year old husky, Sheba.  Sheba was picked up by a member of the public twice whilst roaming free.  She had a collar on, but no tag.

Both times, the dog was taken to Whitminster’s Teckels Animal Shelter and picked up by Mr Forgione’s son.

Mr Forgione was fined £600 on two charges of allowing the dog to roam without identification and ordered him to pay £100 towards the council’s costs.

Mr Forgione, of Park Road, said:

“When I found out what I have to pay I felt sickened. The dog did have an identification tag but it was nicked. I then had to pay £75 at Teckels and they suggested electronic tagging.  I then spent £20 on having him chipped, so he did have identification on the second time.  It’s absolutely ridiculous. They’re really steep and just over the top.”

A council spokesperson said:

“Mr Forgione was served with two summons on July 1 to appear at Gloucester Magistrates Court on July 18 2008.  As he failed to turn up, the magistrates heard the cases in his absence and he was found guilty of both offences. Mr Forgione was also found guilty and convicted of a similar offence, again in his absence, earlier this year.”

By law, owners have to make sure their dog wears a collar and also a tag with the owner’s name and address whenever in a public place, at all times, and the penalty for not doing this is up to £5,000.

I think this is ridiculous, they charge less for crimes and alcohol-related cases.  Alright, he made a mistake, but surely it didn’t have to cost £1200.