DOG CHOOSES MASTER

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 June 1934, Page 8

DOG CHOOSES MASTER

CLAIMED BY TWO MEN. LONDON, May 6. A dog decided which of two men was its rightful master yesterday. Edward J. T. Shenton, a railway loader, of Wellington Road, Kentish Town, was charged at Marylebone with stealing an Airedale clog belonging to Charles William McVitty, of Upper Park Road, Hampstead. Each man claimed the dog as his own. About 18 months ago, it was stated, Shenton lost his Airedale. Recently he saw an Airedale in the street, which he was convinced was his. He took it homo and told the police that the dog had been recovered. Scion afterwards McVitty claimed the dog and gave Shenton into custody for stealing it . McVitty declared the dog was bred in a local publichouse two years ago. A veterinary surgeon expressed the opinion that the dog was not more than two years old, whereupon Shenton was charged, as his dog would have been five years of age. He still maintained, however, that it was his dog.

The Magistrate (Mr Ivan Snell) asked if the dog had identified its owner by any emotional sign. ' Detective-Sergeant Benstead said that the dog was friendly with Shenton, but it went almost mad with excitement when it saw McVitty. Eventually Shenton admitted that he might have made a mistake, but his wife was convinced the dog was theirs, and declared that she would have the dog destroyed rather than it should be returned to McVitty. Mr. Snell said he thought Shenton had made a genuine mistake, and he would be discharged. He then called Mrs. Shenton before him and warned her that if she attempted to put her threat to destroy the dog into effect she would be severely punished.