legalbeagle

Solicitor Trevor Cooper is on a mission to promote canny canine ownership. Wendy Richmond finds out more....

Trevor Cooper is the UK's most experienced dog lawyer. Currently sharing his tales of canine crimes and misdemeanors with owners' clubs up and down the country, this leagle beagle has been a specialist for nearly two decades, helping to save the lives of countless family pets consigned to "death row" under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

His lively seminars deliver a serious message about responsible dog ownership and are devised to stop people falling into some of the traps he regularly sees in the courtroom.

Seminars cover everything from buying and selling breeds to the basic requirements of dog ownership such as the use of collar and tags.

" I try to make the seminars as entertaining as possible using lots of examples and take plenty of questions from the audience," he explained. "I'm always surprised as to what sorert of things come up as it's always unpredictable. However I guess the one that I'm asked repeatedly is can a dog get shot if its in a farmer's field?"

The short answer to this is yes - if it's worrying livestock.

Trevor's law career collided with the dog world in 1994 - some three years after the dangerous dogs act came into force - when he was working as a commercial lawyer in Whitstable, Kent.

A local journalist from nearby Chatham contacted Trevor after covering the story of Saaba, a German Shepherd, put under a destruction order after being accused of biting.

The case gripped the public's imagination and the story was featured on the big breakfast and Richard and Judy (prompting one of the show's largest ever responses).

The overwhelming reaction confirmed in Trevor's mind the depth of feeling our nation has for animals.

"People simply didn't think it was fair to needlessly kill an innocent dog. The animals can't speak for themselves - and it made me think I could do something to help."

Alegal loophole enabled Saaba to be freed and opened a new career path to Trevor, who has since defended everything from a Great Dane to a Chihuaha from the ragged teeth of prosecution.

Among his many successes was Dempsey, one of the first pitbull cases, after the Dangerous Dog Act was introduced, and who was saved from destruction after three years on death row. Another was Woofie, a black collie boxer cross, who was ordered to be destroyed because of chasing and barking at a postman.

Woofie's case attracted so much publicity that Bridgit Bardot, the French film star, flew in by private jet to support the case, which was finally overturned.

Sadly there have been times when an animal couldn't be saved and Trevor recalls the story of Jessie, an unregistered pitbul that had been accidentally left behind in a park after the owners had a row and went off in different directions.

"When they split up, each one thought the other had the dog with them but unfortunately Jessie was picked up by a couple of boys who handed her to the police.

"It was a very sad case: Jessie had slight brain damage and walked with a bit of a limp - this really was a dog that couldn't fight her way out of a paper bag and wasn't a danger to anyone.

"On the day of the trial, the dog was brought into the dock, the judge ordered the barristers to take off their wigs so as not to frighten her. But because the law was mandatory in those days the dog was taken away and destroyed. All the owners got back were her ashes in a box."

Stories like Jessies are part of the reason for promoting responsible dog ownership.

Trevor added: "The laws as they stand have stiff penalties attatched to them. If a dog goes outside without a tag and collar then an owner stands to be fined £5,000.

"What we can best do now is promote responsible dog ownership, and this is where charities like the National Animal Welfare Trust really help to spread the message. They work very hard with owners to ensure the importance of dog training - and how it should start as soon as the dog is brought home."

For more details about Trevor Cooper's seminars, please visit www.doglaw.co.uk

Dogs and the Law

The basics all owners should know

Dog Fouling
Local authorities have powers under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act to create specific orders relating to various matters including dog fouling and keeping dogs on leads. Penalties up to £1,000

Animal Welfare Act
This was set up to ensure owners look after their pets in a responsible manner, from diet to care, when a pet becomes sick. It also covers tail docking, dog fighting and the sale of dogs.

Tags and collars
It is an offence for dogs not to be wearing a collar and tag in a public place under the control of Dogs order. Penalty: a fine up to £5,000

Legal Beagle

Dogs and the Law