Shannon Beveridge pleaded guilty in the Ringwood Magistrates’ Court in September to seven charges, including being the owner of a dog that attacked a cat causing death, after his Siberian husky, Jet, escaped from his yard and killed 15-year-old cat Elle on her family’s porch.
Mr Beveridge also pleaded guilty to four charges of his dog being at large, one of failing to register his dog and one of failing to renew his pet’s registration. He was fined $3100 and ordered to pay costs, including about $4000 in pound fees.
A Knox Council panel then declared Jet dangerous under the Domestic Animals Act in a bid to warn and protect the public.
The council said Jet had been caught roaming the streets several times between July 2014 and the deadly attack on Elle in May this year.
But now Mr Beveridge, who has started an online petition calling for support to have his dog freed of the dangerous dog tag, says he only pleaded guilty in court in a bid to avoid Jet being destroyed.
He has applied to VCAT to have the council’s decision overturned.
Mr Beveridge said he had already spent thousands and was “prepared to spend $20,000 more” to free his “best friend”, who has to be confined to a 10sq m cage while outdoors and required to wear a muzzle in public. He has also had to put signs up outside his house to warn people that his dog was dangerous.
Mr Beveridge said his brother’s dog, Bella, who was also involved in the attack on Elle, was also declared dangerous but was still locked up at the RSPCA because his brother couldn’t afford to release her.
Mr Beveridge said the dogs got out of his yard on the day because a tree fell and damaged a fence. He said Jet showed no sign of aggression before the attack and now had “separation issues” after spending six months locked up at the RSPCA.
“He’s still got around 10 years of his life left and he’ll spend that in a cage if I don’t fight this,” he said. “He is my best mate and I’ll be fighting this to the end.”
But Elle’s devastated owner, Lisa, said she was left traumatized after seeing the horrific attack on her beloved cat. Despite Lisa screaming and throwing things to try to stop the dogs, Elle died shortly after.
Lisa said her family was deeply upset and “uneasy” after the “awful” attack. “It was like something out of a bad dream.”
JET’S RAP SHEET
A summary of facts, read out to the Magistrate’s Court.
■ On 31 July 2014 Council received a report of two dogs at large which had been contained at Clyde St, Ferntree Gully, Victoria. A council officer attended and observed two dogs. A scan of the dogs revealed one was owned by Mr Beveridge and was not registered.
■ On 28 November 2014 the council received a report of two Husky type dogs wandering at large in Clyde St, Ferntree Gully. A council officer observed the two dogs zig zagging across the street creating problems for traffic. With the help of pedestrians, the officer seized both dogs and transported them to the RSPCA Pound in Burwood East. A search of council records indicated that one of the dogs was owned by Ryan Beveridge and that the other was owned by Shannon Beveridge.
■ On 16 February 2015 the council received a report of two dogs at large on Ferguson St, Ferntree Gully. A council officer observed a Husky type dog and greyhound at large on the footpath. The identification tag of the Husky revealed it was owned by Mr Beveridge. The officer then seized the dogs and released them to Mr Beveridge’s mother at his home on Ferguson St.
■ On 10 April 2015 council received a report from the Vet Clinic that Ryan Beveridge’s dog has been handed into the clinic by a person who had found the dog. A council officer impounded the dog, which was not registered.
■ On 17 April 2015 council received a report from Mad About Pets Ferntree Gully advising that a Husky had been handed into the shop by a person who had found the dog. A council officer impounded the dog which was owned by Ryan Beveridge.
■ On Tuesday 5 May 2015 council received two reports of two Husky type dogs wandering at large in Ferntree Gully. The second report also advised that the dogs had been involved in an attack. A council officer attended Carlisle Rd, Ferntree Gully, and met a woman who stated that her cat had been attacked and killed by two Husky type dogs on her property. The officer then attempted to find the dogs with the help of another officer.
While patrolling, the officer was flagged down by Shannon Beveridge who advised that he too was out looking for the dogs and that they had escaped the property due to a tree branch falling on the fence. However, an inspection of the premises did not indicate any damage to the fence and Mr Beveridge then indicated that the dogs had got through a damaged fence into a vacant block at the rear of the property. A little while later the dogs were found at Fairhills High School on Scoresby Rd in Ferntree Gully and impounded.
(Herald Sun - Nov 30, 2015)
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