Jock Anderson

Sally, the Border Collie her owner Gordon of the House of Israel tried to convince Justice Paul Heath was not a dog, lives.

As CaseLoad reported exclusively on December 19 Justice Heath rejected Mr Israel’s High Court appeal against the wishes of the Hauraki district council that Sally be registered and micro-chipped in compliance with the Dog Control Act.

Mr Israel put up a spirited but predictably futile argument that Sally was not a dog but a living being who is loved and cared for as part of the Israel household.

Justice Heath, tempering his detailed judgment with compassion and referral to a landmark English case of 1682, gave Mr Israel until December 20 to comply with the requirements of the Dog Control Act or run the risk that an impounded Sally might be executed.

The Waikato Times reported on December 23 that friends of the Israel family rallied round and secured Sally’s release by paying for her registration and micro-chipping.

Hauraki mayor John Tregidga was reported saying the case had cost the council about $10,000 and while Mr Israel had been ordered to pay costs, it was unlikely the council would get all the money back.

The full court story appeared on CaseLoad on December 19 under the heading “Mr Israel, The Judge And A Bitch Called Sally.”

Feedback on this story to jockanderson@xtra.co.nz