A Christchurch man who failed to secure his dog as it rode on the open deck of his Nissan Navara has been ordered to pay nearly $2000 after being prosecuted by the SPCA.
The man was prosecuted after an incident on Main North Rd in Belfast last September.
Chris Lynch Media reported the driver was heading north in his grey Nissan Navara at about 60km/h.
His white and tan American bulldog, named Jed, was not secured to the vehicle. Jed fell off the back of the moving vehicle and hit the road.
Jed’s owner and members of the public pulled over to the side of the road and stopped.
The dog owner dragged Jed by his collar along the pavement, dropped him back onto the open deck and drove off, Chris Lynch Media reported.
Jed had to be treated for a fractured rear leg, which resulted directly from falling from the vehicle.
He also sustained an abrasion on the top of his head and a scratch to the side of his nose and mouth.
The offender declined to be interviewed by Chris Lynch Media but said his daughter had been sticking her hands out the window which made Jed jump.
SPCA chief executive Todd Westwood told Chris Lynch Media the case was a stark reminder of the care required when travelling with animals.
“The days of ‘don’t worry mate, she’ll be right’ are long gone. If animals are travelling on an open deck or a trailer they must be secured.
“Properly restraining your dog mitigates the risk of them causing an accident by being a distraction and protects them in the event of an accident."
The maximum penalty for this offence is a fine of $900, the judge instead ordered the offender to pay the SPCA $1,941.59 to cover the vet bill.
