Latest news with #RhodesianRidgeback
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘My neighbour's dog savaged my cat, now he won't pay the £3,000 vet bill'
Do you have a legal question to put to Gary? Email askalawyer@ or use the form at the bottom of the page. Hello Gary, I'm asking this question on behalf of my sister. My sister and family live on a pleasant, quiet estate. A few weeks ago, one of her cats was sleeping peacefully in the front garden, when a man who lives elsewhere on the estate walked by with his Rhodesian Ridgeback dog on a lead. The dog saw the cat, broke free from the man and attacked the cat. This was caught on my sister's front door cam. The man managed to get his dog off the cat and rang the bell to apologise. He then walked off. Long and short, the cat suffered life-threatening injuries. It is now on the mend but will have a lifelong injury to one leg. The overall vet bill is about £3,000 and while my sister has the cat insured, it will not cover this amount. The thing that has angered my sister, and indeed other neighbours who know the man, is that he's offered no financial support. My brother-in-law has twice been round to his house to discuss the issue, but the man is not interested. He simply told my brother-in-law that his dog insurance does not cover injury caused to cats. He's clearly not going to do the right thing. Does my sister have any legal recourse to force the man to contribute towards the vet fees? These are fees that were incurred by his dog being out of control and causing great harm to a much-loved family member. All the best, John by email Dear John, I am very sorry about this terrible incident. As you say great harm has been done in what must be distressing circumstances for your sister and her family. My view as a lawyer is that the owner of the dog has legal responsibility for what has happened and arising from that responsibility can be forced to account for his actions. In legal terms pets, including dogs, are chattels, which means they are an item of property like a car or a piece of furniture capable of being owned by an individual. Hence, ownership of a dog is sometimes in dispute in situations like a divorce. In this case, while it is the action of the dog which caused the injury, the responsibility is with the dog owner. It is the Animals Act 1971 which addresses liability for animal-related incidents and makes clear a 'keeper' of an animal, by definition a dog owner, is liable for the actions of a dog. So, as a matter of preliminary evidence you should first establish the owner in this case is the owner of the miscreant dog. I would say the fact he has pet insurance for his dog pins him down on ownership. Under the Animals Act, keepers of animals can be held strictly liable for injuries caused by their dog in certain circumstances. Even if the dog has not shown previous aggression or the owner did not intend harm. In this case the relevant facts and basis of the claim are: The dog caused injury to your sister's cat The dog was not under control, as it broke free from the lead and – The attack was reasonably foreseeable given the involvement of larger, powerful breeds like Rhodesian Ridgebacks, which are known for sometimes aggressive behaviour to smaller animals. I emphasise here that dogs behave instinctively, and it is the owners who should know that and manage their behaviour. In this case, the fact this occurred in a front garden where the cat had a right to be, and the dog was out of control strengthens your sister's potential claim. As well as liability under statute as per the Animals Act, your sister could bring a claim for negligence on the basis the dog owner failed to maintain control of the dog and/or damage to property as her cat is also her chattel so the dog has caused damage to her personal property. All of which means there is a legal basis for a monetary claim against the dog owner. The next issue is to value the claim. This will mean calculating all of the financial loss which has occurred, which in the main will be the vet's bill of £3,000. These losses should be set out with supporting evidence. An initial 'letter of claim' setting out the legal basis of the dog owner's liability (as above) and the financial losses claimed should be sent to the dog owner and he should be given a deadline to reply and pay up. Tell him if he does not pay by the deadline you will issue a claim under the 'small claims track' which can be done online in England and Wales for all monetary claims of a value up to £10,000. Here's the link. If your sister recovers her losses from the dog owner, she will of course have to repay any relevant part of her own insurance claim. Ask a Lawyer should not be taken as formal legal advice, but rather as a starting point for readers to undertake their own further research Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
Shocking photos show starving dogs found in Bexleyheath home with dead puppies
WARNING - This article contains distressing images Photos have been released showing the condition of dogs found in a Bexleyheath home alongside two dead puppies and a dead dog. In April we reported that owner Kriss Kesson, 60, had been banned from keeping dogs for at least 10 years and was given a suspended prison sentence. The RSPCA have now released photos showing the condition of the dogs when they were found. (Image: RSPCA) On the afternoon of February 28 last year RSPCA officers went to Kesson's home on Rydal Drive accompanied by the police, prosecutor Joel Wootten told Woolwich Crown Court. Inside the home officers found three Rhodesian Ridgebacks and one Dalmatian, all of which were visibly emancipated with prominent ribs and hip bones. They also found two dead puppies and a dead adult Rhodesian Ridgeback, named Reggie. Mr Wootten said: 'The defendant told officers the dog had died a few days earlier and he was waiting for rigor mortis to end so he could bury him, while the puppies had died a few weeks ago.' When asked why the dogs were so emaciated, Kesson said he had a bad knee and wasn't able to take them out for much exercise, so he had cut down their food. (Image: RSPCA) The four living dogs - Ozzy, Max, Alice and Harry - were taken in by the RSPCA. RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer Tia Pennan said Alice, the mother of the puppies, was emaciated with all of her ribs, spine and hip bone showing. Max, who was in an emaciated condition, and Ozzy, who was very underweight, were both suffering with flea infestations and had fur loss towards their rears which had scabbed over. Mr Wootten said vets assessed that the dogs had been suffering for at least three weeks 'if not certainly longer'. Both Ozzy and Max died in RSPCA care while Harry and Alice have since made good recoveries. Vets also assessed the dead dog's bodies and found they were also significantly underweight. Kesson pleaded guilty to four counts of causing unnecessary suffering to animals. While he was released on bail with instructions not to keep any pets 10 more dogs and a number of fish were found in his home. Defending, Ben Wild said Kesson had been raising dogs for 30 years and was incredibly attached to them. He said that his health had deteriorated and the health of the dogs had followed. In the end it had been Kesson who had called the RSPCA, the court heard. On Tuesday, April 22, Judge Ben Gumpert KC sentenced Kesson to 30 weeks in custody, suspended for one year. 'These were sustained and prolonged periods of neglect, you failed to feed or care for these animals,' Judge Gumpert said. He said Kesson's behaviour suggested he was not remorseful, noting that the defendant had attempted to blame those who attempted to save the dog's lives for their deaths. RSPCA Inspector Clive Hopwood said: 'The degree of emaciation of these dogs would have been apparent to any owner and it was lucky we visited the defendant's home when we did as the other dogs may have died at his home.'
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
NASCAR goes to the dogs: Why many drivers bring their dogs to every race
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and his wife, Madyson Joye, stand in victory lane with one of their dogs after Stenhouse's win in the 2023 Daytona 500. (James Gilbert / Getty Images) When Shane van Gisbergen was offered the chance to move from Australian Supercars to NASCAR two years ago, he had one question: Can I bring my dog? And when we say dog, we really mean horse because Ronald is much closer to a small pony than he is to a large dog. Advertisement 'He's a pretty cool dog,' van Gisbergen said of the Rhodesian Ridgeback who weighs 130 pounds, which makes him five pounds heavier than Tyler Reddick, the reigning regular-season NASCAR Cup Series champion. Van Gisbergen wasn't going to leave Australia without him. 'You can't get rid of a dog,' he said. 'He is part of our family.' He couldn't put Ronald on a plane because there weren't any dog carriers big enough. So van Gisbergen and his girlfriend, Jessica Dane, had a special crate custom built for the 21-hour flight from Australia to the U.S., where Ronald lives with 18 horses, five cats and a rescue dog named Steve. That menagerie is a bit extreme for a race car driver, but van Gisbergen isn't the only animal lover on the NASCAR circuit. About a dozen drivers travel with their dogs so regularly, at least two tracks have built dog parks for the race teams. Advertisement 'It kind of brings a feeling of home on the road,' said Alex Bowman, who has three dogs, an 8-year-old charcoal Labrador named Finn, a year-old Golden Retriever mix rescue named Huck and a goldendoodle named Merle that belongs to girlfriend Chloe Henderson, a self-proclaimed 'dog mom.' 'My dogs are my best friends. So it's always cool to have them at the race track," said Bowman, who finished fifth in Sunday's 400-mile race in Kansas City, Kan., the 12th event on the Cup Series schedule . Bowman found he could no longer travel without his dogs after Roscoe, a rescued beagle mix he once took to Victory Lane at Daytona, passed away two years ago while he was testing in Indianapolis. 'I couldn't be there. So that was pretty tough,' he said. Alex Bowman drives the Ally Best Friends Chevrolet during practice for the Shriners Children's 500 NASCAR Cup race at Phoenix Raceway on March 8. (Chris Graythen / Getty Images) So tough, in fact, Bowman said Roscoe's death inspired his team at Hendricks Motorsports to change their rules and allow the driver to bring his dogs on the team plane. And the driver isn't the only member of the race team who benefits from that change. Advertisement 'It's cool to have dogs around,' said Sara Beam, Bowman's media representative. 'It's like a therapy dog kind of. They make everybody happy.' While everyone knows dogs like to chase cars, Bowman said there's no chance you'll see any of them trying to run one down during a NASCAR race. 'They're not really near the track. They're never in the pit area or in the garage,' said Bowman, 10th in the Cup standings after Sunday. 'Things would have to go pretty wrong for that to happen.' Bowman has long been an outspoken advocate for animal rescue, donating more than $750,000 over the past four years to animal welfare efforts through partnerships with Ally Racing and Best Friends Animal Society, a charity that promotes pet adoption and no-kill rescue. The paint scheme of the No. 48 Chevrolet, that Bowman drove to a seventh-place finish in Phoenix last month, included more than a dozen rescue dogs. Advertisement Trackhouse Racing has also allowed van Gisbergen, who has one top 10 finish this season, to bring Ronald on the team's corporate plane, giving him his own seat. 'I've grown up with dogs and animals. It always puts a smile on your face,' said van Gisbergen, who will take Ronald on his morning runs at some tracks. 'He's always excited to see you you. He's a pretty happy dude.' Yet even with a reserved aisle seat on the plane it's difficult for animals to make NASCAR's western swings since race teams and drivers often stay in hotels, many of which don't allow pets. However some dogs are easier to travel with than others. Mexican driver Daniel Suárez, who also races for Trackhouse, says he takes Emma, a four-pound black-and-white Pomeranian, and Pepper, an 11-pound Manx cat, to about half his races each season. Before the Phoenix race, Suárez posted photos on Instagram of both pets wishing him luck. Advertisement Suárez, who has three top 10 finishes this year, credits his love for animals to his parents, who would routinely collect abandoned dogs on the streets around Monterrey, Mexico, and try to find them a forever home. They currently have 10 dogs at home, Suárez said, 'and every one if them is picked up from the street.' 'The beautiful part about animals is that it doesn't matter how much money you have. It doesn't matter how good or bad the day you just had. They're always there to give you a lot,' said Suárez, who supports animal-rescue groups such a PETA and the Humane Society of Charlotte, N.C., where he lives. 'We're really lucky to have animals in our lives.' Drivers who, unlike Suárez, can't hide their pets in their pocket, limit their dog's travel to races within easy reach of the motor homes most Charlotte-based teams drive to the track. Erik Jones has been taking his 8-year-old German Shepherd Oscar to races since shortly after moving to the Cup Series full time in 2017. Read more: NASCAR figuring out if building new track in Fontana is the 'right thing to do' Advertisement 'The dog's always happy to see you,' he said. 'No matter how your day goes, good or bad, if you can just go back and see him [it] gives me a chance to not think about racing for a second. 'We think about racing plenty through the week. So anytime you can your mind off it is nice.' Although his wife, Holly, once brought her pet rabbit to the Easter race in Richmond, Va., Jones said he's strictly a dog person. 'Taking him on the road, it never felt like a hassle to me,' said Jones, who has one top 10 finish this season. 'It was just always fun to have him there. Always gave me something to kind of look forward to and keep myself entertained. It got me out more, taking him on walks and doing different stuff.' Advertisement Especially at Pennsylvania's Pocono Raceway, Oscar's favorite track, which built a 7,000-foot dog park in the infield for use by fans and drivers. 'It's just an evolution of logic and doing the right thing,' said Ben May, the raceway's longtime president. 'Dogs are family. And if you can do something special for someone's dog, to some folks that's the same as doing it for their kid, right? It's a big deal.' The Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, has two dog parks, one outside the track for fans and another in the infield for race teams and drivers. Yet despite the drivers' professed devotion for their dogs, much of the care, feeding and cleaning up after the dogs falls to members of the race crew or a driver's wife or girlfriend. Advertisement 'Madyson takes care of our dogs 85% of the time,' said Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who shares Ruby and River, two goldendoodles, with his wife. Stenhouse, who is 15th in the Cup series standings after Sunday's race, said traveling with his dogs can add some extra tension to what already is a stressful job. In the end, however, it's worth it. Read more: L.A. mayor says animal shelters won't close. Rescue groups are still on edge 'It can be a little bit of a pain sometimes trying to travel with them. Making sure you've got all the things packed and we've got food on the bus,' he said. 'But it's pretty comforting having them. Advertisement 'Ours sleep in our bed with us. We're on the road a lot and when you can have your dogs with you, it just makes you feel more relaxed and more like at home.' Van Gisbergen agrees. So would he really have stayed in Australia with Ronald had he not found a way to bring the dog to the U.S.? 'You can't really leave them behind,' he said with a shrug. 'In Australia and New Zealand you can't take your dog anywhere. We're in America. You can take your dog anywhere.' Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- Los Angeles Times
NASCAR goes to the dogs: Why many drivers bring their dogs to every race
AVONDALE, Ariz. — When Shane van Gisbergen was offered the chance to move from Australian Supercars to NASCAR two years ago, he had one question: Can I bring my dog? And when we say dog, we really mean horse because Ronald is much closer to a small pony than he is to a large dog. 'He's a pretty cool dog,' van Gisbergen said of the Rhodesian Ridgeback who weighs 130 pounds, which makes him five pounds heavier than Tyler Reddick, the reigning regular-season NASCAR Cup Series champion. Van Gisbergen wasn't going to leave Australia without him. 'You can't get rid of a dog,' he said. 'He is part of our family.' He couldn't put Ronald on a plane because there weren't any dog carriers big enough. So van Gisbergen and his girlfriend, Jessica Dane, had a special crate custom built for the 21-hour flight from Australia to the U.S., where Ronald lives with 18 horses, five cats and a rescue dog named Steve. That menagerie is a bit extreme for a race car driver, but van Gisbergen isn't the only animal lover on the NASCAR circuit. About a dozen drivers travel with their dogs so regularly, at least two tracks have built dog parks for the race teams. 'It kind of brings a feeling of home on the road,' said Alex Bowman, who has three dogs, an 8-year-old charcoal Labrador named Finn, a year-old Golden Retriever mix rescue named Huck and a goldendoodle named Merle that belongs to girlfriend Chloe Henderson, a self-proclaimed 'dog mom.' 'My dogs are my best friends. So it's always cool to have them at the race track,' said Bowman, who finished fifth in Sunday's 400-mile race in Kansas City, Kan., the 12th event on the Cup Series schedule . Bowman found he could no longer travel without his dogs after Roscoe, a rescued beagle mix he once took to Victory Lane at Daytona, passed away two years ago while he was testing in Indianapolis. 'I couldn't be there. So that was pretty tough,' he said. So tough, in fact, Bowman said Roscoe's death inspired his team at Hendricks Motorsports to change their rules and allow the driver to bring his dogs on the team plane. And the driver isn't the only member of the race team who benefits from that change. 'It's cool to have dogs around,' said Sara Beam, Bowman's media representative. 'It's like a therapy dog kind of. They make everybody happy.' While everyone knows dogs like to chase cars, Bowman said there's no chance you'll see any of them trying to run one down during a NASCAR race. 'They're not really near the track. They're never in the pit area or in the garage,' said Bowman, 10th in the Cup standings after Sunday. 'Things would have to go pretty wrong for that to happen.' Bowman has long been an outspoken advocate for animal rescue, donating more than $750,000 over the past four years to animal welfare efforts through partnerships with Ally Racing and Best Friends Animal Society, a charity that promotes pet adoption and no-kill rescue. The paint scheme of the No. 48 Chevrolet, that Bowman drove to a seventh-place finish in Phoenix last month, included more than a dozen rescue dogs. Trackhouse Racing has also allowed van Gisbergen, who has one top 10 finish this season, to bring Ronald on the team's corporate plane, giving him his own seat. 'I've grown up with dogs and animals. It always puts a smile on your face,' said van Gisbergen, who will take Ronald on his morning runs at some tracks. 'He's always excited to see you you. He's a pretty happy dude.' Yet even with a reserved aisle seat on the plane it's difficult for animals to make NASCAR's western swings since race teams and drivers often stay in hotels, many of which don't allow pets. However some dogs are easier to travel with than others. Mexican driver Daniel Suárez, who also races for Trackhouse, says he takes Emma, a four-pound black-and-white Pomeranian, and Pepper, an 11-pound Manx cat, to about half his races each season. Before the Phoenix race, Suárez posted photos on Instagram of both pets wishing him luck. Suárez, who has three top 10 finishes this year, credits his love for animals to his parents, who would routinely collect abandoned dogs on the streets around Monterrey, Mexico, and try to find them a forever home. They currently have 10 dogs at home, Suárez said, 'and every one if them is picked up from the street.' 'The beautiful part about animals is that it doesn't matter how much money you have. It doesn't matter how good or bad the day you just had. They're always there to give you a lot,' said Suárez, who supports animal-rescue groups such a PETA and the Humane Society of Charlotte, N.C., where he lives. 'We're really lucky to have animals in our lives.' Drivers who, unlike Suárez, can't hide their pets in their pocket, limit their dog's travel to races within easy reach of the motor homes most Charlotte-based teams drive to the track. Erik Jones has been taking his 8-year-old German Shepherd Oscar to races since shortly after moving to the Cup Series full time in 2017. 'The dog's always happy to see you,' he said. 'No matter how your day goes, good or bad, if you can just go back and see him [it] gives me a chance to not think about racing for a second. 'We think about racing plenty through the week. So anytime you can your mind off it is nice.' Although his wife, Holly, once brought her pet rabbit to the Easter race in Richmond, Va., Jones said he's strictly a dog person. 'Taking him on the road, it never felt like a hassle to me,' said Jones, who has one top 10 finish this season. 'It was just always fun to have him there. Always gave me something to kind of look forward to and keep myself entertained. It got me out more, taking him on walks and doing different stuff.' Especially at Pennsylvania's Pocono Raceway, Oscar's favorite track, which built a 7,000-foot dog park in the infield for use by fans and drivers. 'It's just an evolution of logic and doing the right thing,' said Ben May, the raceway's longtime president. 'Dogs are family. And if you can do something special for someone's dog, to some folks that's the same as doing it for their kid, right? It's a big deal.' The Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, has two dog parks, one outside the track for fans and another in the infield for race teams and drivers. Yet despite the drivers' professed devotion for their dogs, much of the care, feeding and cleaning up after the dogs falls to members of the race crew or a driver's wife or girlfriend. 'Madyson takes care of our dogs 85% of the time,' said Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who shares Ruby and River, two goldendoodles, with his wife. Stenhouse, who is 15th in the Cup series standings after Sunday's race, said traveling with his dogs can add some extra tension to what already is a stressful job. In the end, however, it's worth it. 'It can be a little bit of a pain sometimes trying to travel with them. Making sure you've got all the things packed and we've got food on the bus,' he said. 'But it's pretty comforting having them. 'Ours sleep in our bed with us. We're on the road a lot and when you can have your dogs with you, it just makes you feel more relaxed and more like at home.' Van Gisbergen agrees. So would he really have stayed in Australia with Ronald had he not found a way to bring the dog to the U.S.? 'You can't really leave them behind,' he said with a shrug. 'In Australia and New Zealand you can't take your dog anywhere. We're in America. You can take your dog anywhere.'
India.com
26-04-2025
- General
- India.com
8 Most Dangerous Dogs Breed Banned In India
Mastiffs, known for their imposing size and protective instincts, are among the dog breeds banned in India due to concerns about aggression and safety. The Rottweiler, known for its strength, loyalty, and protective nature, is among the dog breeds banned in India due to safety concerns. The Wolf Dog, a hybrid between domestic dogs and wolves, is known for its wild instincts and unpredictable behavior. It is among the breeds banned in India for safety reasons. The Rhodesian Ridgeback is known for its strength, loyalty, and independence. Due to concerns over its powerful nature and potential aggression, this breed is among those banned in India by the Government. The Akbash dog breed, known for its protective instincts and guarding abilities, is among the breeds banned in India due to concerns over safety and aggression. The Moscow Guard Dog is among the 23 dog breeds banned in India. The American Bulldog is banned in India, as part of efforts to regulate aggressive dog breeds and ensure public safety. Pitbulls are banned in India and in 20 states across the USA, following a rise in dog attack cases. The move aims to encourage responsible pet ownership in India. (All Image: pixabay) Read Next Story
