Dog Owners’ Defence League Formed In Christchurch

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29130, 16 February 1960, Page 17

Dog Owners’ Defence League Formed In Christchurch

An organisation to “protect dog-owners from injustice, and to defend them in Court if necessary,” was formed in Christchurch last evening.

At a meeting attended by about 70 persons it was decided to form the body. It will be called the Dog Owners’ Defence League. Mr S. G. Isherwood was elected chairman. Membership fees and contributions received, last evening. amounted to £22 10s 6d. The Hydatids Act still needed to be amended, said Mrs Mabel Christmas-Harvey.

She said she could only suppose the act was “rushed through” while members of Parliament were asleep on their benches at 2 a.m.

“We are sick of the word •compulsory,’ and we are more than sick of the term ‘hydatid control officers.’ We have seen what they can do,” she said. “The passing of such a bill is Gestapo tactics.” “The other day I was stopped In the street by someone who said she had left her little grandson at home crying his eyes out. This was because after what happened recently, nothing would induce them to send their dear old dog to a strip. They could not afford to pay the £1 registration fee, the extra £ that is extorted, and a veterinarian’s fee four times a year. So they had their old pet put painlessly to sleep—and I could tell you of many other similar incidents,” said Mrs Christmas-Harvey. She said that a recent statement that arecoline hydrobromide was safe, and used in all civilised countries, was inaccurate. “Arecoline does not kill the hydatid, that is why they want to force us to dose dogs four times a year,” she said. Drugs Used Overseas “England, America and Russia are far more up to date. They have remedies that will kill the hydatid without killing your dog. In England they use dicestol; America advises us to use Pitman Moore Concentrate, and the Mayor of Auckland is obtaining particulars of a drug from Russia. So arecoline is not used in civilised countries. Now it remains for us to see if the Government will allow u s to import these drugs.

‘Persons are being terrorised by threats of fines of from £2O to £5O if they do not have their dogs dosed. They are refused their dog collars if they refuse to pay the extra £1 extorted for dosing when paying the £1 registration fee,” said Mrs Christmas-Harvey. “Pensioners cannot afford to pay the £2 a year as well as a veterinarian’s fee four times a year. These we propose to help. “Places other than Christchurch are not charging the full £, which is the outside limit that can be extorted.

“No wonder it was reported recently that the City Council’s financial position is much better than usual at this time of the year. The fee must be remitted

for pensioners and those who have paid a veterinarian to dose uif dog—not reduced. Hundreds of people, are not registering their dogs until the matter of charges has been adjusted. Meanwhile,we note that two persons have been fined in Court.

“Persons are ready to go into Court to fight for their principles, and if we defend them and even lose the case, it will prove that we mean to stand up for our rights. I know it is the law, but the law will have to be set aside,” said Mrs Christmas-

Mrs Christmas-Harvey said that the recent hydatid scheme had affected some enterprises. One woman who had arranged to sell a pup had received a telegram saying: “Cancel order, afraid of hydatids.” A pet shop had not been able to sell a pup for weeks. She said that the act empowered an officer to enter a dwellingplace with a warrant, if the owner refused to have his dog dosed. “Recently someone told me he has a rifle ready, and another has a broom behind the door. “With the proposed league, if persons are goaded beyond endurance by being bullied and exasperated into some form of retaliation, we will defend them in Court if they are charged with assault.

“We are not going on our knees to beg and plead. Let us fight for our rights as free British people with principles of justice —and we shall win our battle,” said Mrs Christmas-Harvey. Officers elected were:—Patron, Miss O. Barr; president, Mr Isherwood; vice-presidents, Mrs Christmas-Harvey, Mr L. N. M. Morine; secretary, Mrs Isherwood; treasurer, Miss E. Bullen; committee, Mrs J. C. Mansel. Mrs T. Kirk, Miss F. Stubbingham, Mr Kirk, Mr S. Dickey.