Reunited at last: Liz Hiorns was devastated when an animal sanctuary 'rescued' and sold on her missing dog PennyA widow has won a £4,000 legal battle to be reunited with her beloved pet dog after it was mistaken for a stray and rehomed.
Liz Hiorns, 72, told of her delight yesterday as she held Penny after a month apart.
She reported the 11-year-old Jack Russell missing, but the message was lost by the council and Penny sent to a rescue centre.
The widow was distraught when new 'owners' - who paid £80 for Penny - refused to return her.
Mrs Hiorns began a legal fight and the couple from Worcester changed their minds on the eve of a High Court hearing .
They said they 'did not want to be dragged into a public battle'.
Grandmother-of-six Liz said: 'I'm absolutely delighted, thrilled to have her home.
'The last month has been extremely stressful but I am just so relieved it is all over. I will certainly be keeping a close eye on Penny in future.
'This should never have happened and I am very angry with the local council who were too quick to palm her off onto someone else.'
Stratford District Council, which is responsible for what happens to stray dogs when they are picked up by the warden, apologised for the mistake.
A spokesman said: 'This is the first time such an incident has happened and the district council regrets this and will use its best endeavours to ensure this does not happen again.
'Sadly, the district council picks up a number of dogs weekly and scans the dogs routinely for identification in the form of a microchip or any other distinguishing marks.
'This all helps with the process of reuniting the dog back with its rightful owner.
Much loved: The dog was passed to Danemere Animal Rescue Centre at Tibberton, near Droitwich, who sold Penny to a couple living nearby just one week later'Unfortunately on this occasion the missing dog, Penny, had no form of identification and was found with an eye infection covered in fleas and ticks.
'There are lessons to be learned but the council assures the public that they make all reasonable efforts to reunite stray dogs with their owners.
'The district council is currently reviewing its procedures and considering putting photographs of stray dogs on the website in the future.'
Penny, who did not have a name collar or micro-chip, went missing on April 12 after Liz let her out the back door at lunchtime.
Liz searched the local area for days after Penny failed to return home but to no avail.
Two weeks later Liz called a vets in nearby Leamington Spa, to be told a dog matching Penny's description had been found by a dog warden in Stratford-upon-Avon on April 13.
The dog was passed to Danemere Animal Rescue Centre at Tibberton, near Droitwich, who sold Penny to a couple living nearby just one week later.
Liz said yesterday: 'I still can't understand how this happened. It still sends shivers up my spine that within a week Penny was sold to someone else without my knowledge.'
David Lannie, supervisor at the rescue centre, said: 'We acted in good faith when re-homing Penny.
'As far as we knew she had been with Stratford District Council for eight days which is the cut-off point before we try and re-home dogs.
'Data protection rules meant we could not release the names of her new owners but the family threatened to take us to court.
'Before the case was heard by a judge the owners decided they did not want to be dragged into a public battle over the dog so they reluctantly gave her back.
'They wanted to keep her at first because she was in such a bad condition.'
source: dailymail
Posts
