View Full Version : Found:the owner of ginger the lame dog dumped on roadside
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/201206/Found-The-owner-of-Ginger-the-lame-dog-dumped-on-roadside
UK NEWS<H1 class=articleHeading itxtvisited="1">FOUND: THE OWNER OF GINGER THE LAME DOG DUMPED ON ROADSIDE </H1>
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Andrew Shepherd, owner of terrier whose story shocked millions
Thursday September 23,2010
By Chris Riches
http://cdn.images.dailyexpress.co.uk/img/common/commentBubble.gif Have your say(18) (http://www.express.co.uk/comments/add/201206)
AS he swigs on a beer, this is the owner of Ginger, the lame dog who was dumped by a roadside and abandoned to her fate, to the nation’s horror.
Andrew Shepherd, 48, last night refused to come to his door to explain how his Shetland cross terrier was left alone and terrified hundreds of miles away in Dorset.
He only opened the door of his council house to allow in a team of Lancashire Police community support officers.
But the Daily Express has tracked down the woman who drove the car used to dump the dog. Last night she admitted she was “petrified” of being prosecuted on animal cruelty charges.
Jenny Hadfield, who lives on the same council estate in Bamber Bridge, near Preston, Lancs, said: “Ok, I was behind the wheel of the car. I was driving.
http://images.dailyexpress.co.uk/img/dynamic/1/x190/201206_2.jpg Jenny Hadfeld admitted she was driving this car used to dump the dog near Weymouth
“I didn’t ask for all this trouble. It’s my friend Shep’s dog – not mine, but I was there. I’m very sorry. I’m just glad the dog was found.
“I’ve never been in trouble before. I don’t want to get in trouble – I’m petrified.”
Millions of people were appalled by CCTV pictures of a man – who is understood to be one of Mr Shepherd’s friends – luring the dog to grassland before racing off in a metallic blue car. Hundreds of dog- lovers have contacted officials in Weymouth, offering to adopt the dog dubbed Ginger, but whose name is now known to be Brandy, and give her a home.
RSPCA and council investigators yesterday said a full inquiry was under way.
The Daily Express understands that Mr Shepherd is a recovering alcoholic, who has lived on benefits in the past, when unable to carry out work at his roofing firm.
Neighbours said Mr Shepherd and Brandy were well-known on the estate, with Mr Shepherd described as “dirty, skinny, with long, lank hair” with a large “red wine stain” birth mark on his face and “a Jesus complex”.
One neighbour said: “The dog was lame, and hobbled about. Lots of people round here won’t be very happy.”
A friend claimed that Mr Shepherd, Ms Hadfield, her ex-husband and another close friend travelled to Weymouth last week for a caravan holiday.
The dog’s claws were growing into her paws so she could only limp in great pain.
We understand that patience was lost with the dog after she nibbled a nine-year-old boy’s leg, so a decision was taken to dump her last Thursday and return to Lancashire. The scene was caught on CCTV, and later shown on TV across the world.
The incident was also witnessed by staff in nearby offices, who rescued Brandy.
She is being looked after by Weymouth dog handlers.
A council spokesman said: “We would like to thank the Daily Express for their assistance in this ongoing inquiry which we hope will lead to the prosecution of anyone who broke the law.”
An RSPCA spokeswoman said: “This is now an ongoing investigation so we cannot give details of our operation.
“We will be speaking to those whose names have become known to us
Bonkers Mad!!!
23-09-10, 10:12 PM
good! doesnt he look like a lovely bloke?
This is a very confusing case. Why would you take your dog all the way to Weymouth for a holiday and then decide to dump it?
We arrange our holidays around our dogs and our holidays are our dogs.
Surely it would have been more conveiniant to dump the dog in Preston?
If they considered taking the dog far away to dump seemed a fool proof way and not to be found out; still it is a very elaborate way to dump a dog.
Unfortunately, a small minority of people in manchester have no quarms about dumping dogs and do so within their Manchester area.
So why all that way?
Beautiful dog though and finally she may get the home she deserves now.
http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/8412462.Dumped_Ginger__Owner_wants__Brandy__back/
Dumped Ginger: Owner wants 'Brandy' back
10:00am Friday 24th September 2010
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By Catherine Bolado » (http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/biog/36121)
THE owner of the abandoned dog told the Echo: ‘I want her back’.
Andrew ‘Shep’ Shepherd said he was terrified of leaving his house in case he was lynched by outraged animal lovers.
But he said he did not even know his friends had dumped his lame pet and was truly sorry for all the anger the incident had caused.
Mr Shepherd, 46, who revealed the sheltie-cross-terrier’s real name is Brandy, shook as he spoke to the Echo on the steps of his home in a housing estate in Bamber Bridge.
He said he was not in the car at the time Brandy was dumped and wanted to speak out to clear his name.
He said: “I don’t want to keep living in hiding and I am very sorry for the way everything has turned out.”
Mr Shepherd said he was an alcoholic and is currently taking morphine for a possible cancer on his lip.
He revealed how a trip to a caravan park in Weymouth turned into a nightmare that has made him a hate figure.
He said he travelled with a group of friends including Mick Hartley, his wife Jane and stepson George, eight, Jenny Hadfield, her ex-husband Tony and Izzy Watson. They all stayed in a caravan at Littlesea Holiday Park.
He said that on the night of September 15, Brandy tried to bite George, but did not draw blood. He said it was not the first time she had tried to bite someone.
Mr Shepherd said that after Brandy snapped ‘everyone went mad’ and the decision was made to take her to the RSPCA.
He said he was worried she might be put down because she had bitten other people.
He added: “I asked Mick to take her to the RSPCA, not to be put down but for them to decide what was best for her.
“Jenny, Mick and George left the caravan site and came back an hour later and told me she had been put down and it cost £35.
“I spent two days crying my eyes out.”
He said he was told by Jane when he returned to Preston (http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/search/?search=Preston) that Brandy was alive and then he saw the CCTV footage.
“She told me they dumped her off road and near people so she would be picked up. It was too late to do anything about it, I was 600 miles away from her.
“I know what he did was wrong but for the right reasons.
“I loved my dog and everyone would know if they had seen us together.”
Mr Shepherd got Brandy three years ago after a friend rescued her from where she had been living in a public toilet in Spalding, Lincolnshire.
He said he hadn’t noticed Brandy’s nails were getting long and said he would love to have her back.
Mr Shepherd currently has no income after a tribunal stopped his employment support allowance because he claims that they ruled he was not ill enough to qualify for it.
He said he called the RSPCA to tell them about Mick dumping Brandy and why he had done it.
He said he was ‘very happy’ Brandy was being well taken care of at the kennels in Bridport.
He added: “Brandy would love Weymouth because she likes the sea
I dont think it's specifically Manchester, i think there are heartless and cruel people all over the country, (being a Mancunian i feel i have to defend us Mancs lol). Being an animal lover myself (dogs inparticular) i cant understand why anyone would do this or go to such lengths, i can only assume that in his sick head he thought it was a safer option than doing the dreadful dead more locally. Either way, let us hope this lovely canine lady finds a loving and safe home for the rest of her days.
Seeks_Solace
24-09-10, 04:45 PM
Oh dear! Which is the actual dog??!! I know that was awful, shame on me!
He doesn't look like the kind of person I would want to leave any animal with, dear god! What a mess! I am just pleased he was picked up on camera and that Ginger is now on his way to finding someone who deserves such a gorgoeus terrier! He's a lovely looking dog.
:)
http://www.lep.co.uk/logger/p.gif?a=1.1613833&d=/2.1829/2.1830 http://www.lep.co.uk/news/dog_lovers_rally_to_help_brandy_1_1613833
Dog lovers rally to help ‘Brandy’
Published on Sat Sep 25 09:00:00 BST 2010
A dog kennel owner has been swamped with offers of a new home for a dog dumped on an industrial estate almost 300 miles from home.
Mary Bull is currently caring for Brandy who was abandoned during a holiday in Dorset after she bit an eight-year-old boy.
Owner Andrew Shepherd, of Brow Hey in Clayton Brook, near Preston, asked his friends to take her to the RSPCA when they put pressure on him to have the dog destroyed.
Instead, Jenny Hadfield, 55, and Michael Hartley, 53, also from Clayton Brook, left Brandy at the side of the road, claiming they could not find a shelter or vet.
Today, Mrs Bull, who is married to Alan, said Brandy had shown no signs of aggression, despite claims she had bitten around seven people, and had received offers of help from Falkirk to the Channel Islands. She said: “She’s lapping up all the attention. She loves being the centre of attention. She just adored everybody.
“She just cuddles up and gazes at you.
“She’s shown no sign of unprovoked aggression to anybody.
“I stopped counting after we got to about 60 calls (offering help) by Tuesday. We’ve had many, many more since, well over 100.”
Brandy, who arrived at Woodlands Farm Kennels in Bridport, Dorset, last Friday September 17, has been vaccinated, given medication for arthritis, blood tests, and had her nails clipped.
The pet, which Mary believes to be a German spitz mittel, has been re-named Ginger and the mother-of-three said: “We feel it will be good if the new owners can draw a line under her past and call her by her new name.
“She’s doing well now and has no major health problems. She was a little bit thin but she has been well looked after in the past.”
And yesterday, she returned to the industrial estate to meet the workmen who found her who have offered to sponsor her for anything she needs.
In relation to her being abandoned, Mary, 61, who is also a grandmother-of-one said: “Whatever the circumstances, I have to say there’s no excuse for what the guy did. There’s help out there for anyone.
“If she has been biting people, he should have been more responsible and made arrangements for her by going to a local rescue and saying ‘we’re having problems with her, can you help?’.
“We get those sorts of phone calls quite regularly.”
She said they would now be drawing up a short-list of potential new owners and said: “She’s not a young lady any more and she deserves to spend the rest of her years in a comfortable home
Olivia I am Manchester born and bred also. Was just stateing the truth that a minority of people, mancunion or other have no quarms over neglect or dumping of their pets.
Having just lost my beautiful Mollie dog; it really upsets me that although my dog had 14 wonderful albeit spoilt rotten years; some dogs, cats etc have very sorry lives to lead.
Just cannot understand anyone who do these acts and worse.
Viva Manchester (not really as I would escape tomorrow if I could).
Hi Dilly
I'm also manchester born and bred ,but escaped to Devon :),believe me the cruelty to animals that happen in devon is unbelievable as well,one of my Yorkies (I have 2) is a rescue and was dumped on the street in a bad condition,had to be shaved ,had gingervitis,Gawd knows what he went through,when we first got him,he was terrified of people he shook with fear,went ridgid our vet never saw anything like it ,you would just touch his side and he would keel over on to his other side,he seems not to have had any love whatsoever,he even bit me and my mother because he didn't know about being cuddled or stroked,or loved
we often talk about him to other dog walkers and it's amazing how many of their dogs have been previously abused,by former owners,
my Father said to the vet he wished he knew what had happened to our rescue,The vet replied it's better you don't,
he's now a totally different dog loves tummy tickles and hugs,spoilt rotten and is getting used to people,He still gets frightened,we don't know why,we never will,
take care pmt
Olivia I am Manchester born and bred also. Was just stateing the truth that a minority of people, mancunion or other have no quarms over neglect or dumping of their pets.
Having just lost my beautiful Mollie dog; it really upsets me that although my dog had 14 wonderful albeit spoilt rotten years; some dogs, cats etc have very sorry lives to lead.
Just cannot understand anyone who do these acts and worse.
Viva Manchester (not really as I would escape tomorrow if I could).
Hi Dilly, i lost my gorgeous welsh springer spaniel, George at the the beginning of July so i know exactly what you mean and how you feel, i don't understand either.....Re Manchester, give me a plane ticket out any day to somewhere hot with a beach, a pool bar, clear blue sea LOL, it's not that bad really where i live, there's just other places i'd rather be!! PMT, perhaps it is best you didn't know, i have friends who live in Stoke and their cat disappeared for a few days, reappeared with her face literally smashed in, they took her straight to the vets who said it wasn't a hit and run (as they pressumed) and that the injuries were consistant with being hot with a cricket bat (and not just once)....sorry i know it's an awful story......my friends said they really wished they hadn't known as now, nearly 12 months later they can't get it out of their heads....
Hi Olivia
The story of your friends cat worries me,I'm not a cat lover ,(due to the fact at my previous address tons of cat mess on our front lawn ,dead birds in the back garden lol),But NOW! I seem to have collected a couple of stray cats,I can't take them in as I have 2 cat hating dogs lol but I feed them ,My Neighbour said people tend to dump their animals around here,
One cat is a female black cat and looks very round around the middle,She's had kittens earlier this year and spent her time at the nearby farm,during this time,according to my neighbour,the farmer thought it would be great to have so cats around to keep the mice and rats down,but one day the cat took off with her kittens and haven't seen the kittens since,but think one has appeared a couple of days ago can't tell because as soon as It sees me it runs off,unlike its mother ????who loves being stroked and fussed over,
And there is male grey cat (father of kittens???)who makes the odd appearence,
I worry as we are close to a busy road and neighbour sons(farm labourer lives not far from us) cat got run over a few months ago and according to neighbour there was not much left of it,and that was on a quiet country road,
So I do worry about the cats, lucky for them there a loads of derelict buildings which they can live in,due to an derelict house near us,
Thought about calling animal welfare but they seem happy and in good condition ,
and other neighbour have feed the female cat as well so our neighbour told us,
Take care pmt
I'm not a big fan of cats either as im terribly allergic to them and ive always been a dog lover rather than cats. The day after George went to the big doggy heaven in the sky, this cat i've never seen before randomly wandered through my front door as i was round the side, walked into the kitchen, sat down, cleaned itself, meaowed a bit and wandered off!! The cheek!! She comes to say hi every now and again and once jumped through the window and seemed cross the blinds were in her way!!
Now i'd never seen this cat before (or many cats cos George used to chase them!!), i've never fed or watered her but she periodically keeps coming back! Very odd.
Hope everything's okay with you. x
Bonkers Mad!!!
02-10-10, 03:00 PM
pmt, you should contact cats protection about your visiting cats. if the female is pregnant then you could end up with a whole load of feral kittens turning up wanting to be fed. cp will trap, neuter and then put her back or rehome if shes tame. same with the male :yes:. an un-neutered female will be responsible for a hell of a lot of offspring if not sorted out
pmt, Mollie loved Devon. We spend all of August in Devon. This year was not the same.
Missing her so very much.
We still have little old Tia, a mini schnauser who was a rescue. Love her to bits even though she is blind and smelly and refuses to walk anywhere now Mollie has gone!
Mollie was a weimaraner. Big and elegant. She knew exactly how you were feeling. Her big head would push through your legs when you were upset or she would lay her head on your shoulder.
She saw us through many difficult times with our nfh with her almost human empathy.1151
Hi Olivia,
They say animal are sensitive to spirits so maybe our George s spirits are sending the cats to see if we are ok,seems so in you case,maybe the ancient egyptians have the right idea about cats,it is a nice idea,isn't it,hope you are ok,Me well complicated,feeling down at the moment,I feel like standing in the middle of the rd and screaming lol,I keep telling myself it can't get any worse.......but it does, others on here have as much sorrow, if not more,:(,so I shouldn't moan ...but I do........lol,
Hugs and take care pmt
Hi bonkers
have been wondering if to get in touch with an animal welfare ,but the thing I'm worried about is, I just have neighbours word the black female is a stray and as I'm new to the area I don't want to step on anyones toes,with the farmer and others that feed her,
I will have a chat about it to the neighbour , I'm also worried she would be put down,The male only make an apperance now and then so he might be from the nearest village to us,Our neighbour told us about 4mths ago he had been run over,As a women knocked on her door to ask if she had a grey cat,as one had been run over near our houses,our neighbour told her it was a stray,Then our neighbour contacted the farmer and asked if he could pick up the dead cat and bury it or put it in the hedge,the farmer told her it was impossible because ........well not much left,
Then the male cat turns up 2 wks ago ?????? ,I see him twice and has now disappeared again,
pmt
HI Dilly,
I lost my dog over 2 yrs ago tragic accident due to his illness,I still miss him even though I have another dog,mine was a Jackie,soppy,for a jackie ,wouldn't hurt a fly rabbits guinea pigs hamsters ,budgies I had ,(till they died of old age) ,and he loved them all,I still have his blanket ,
my other female yorkie loved him to bits ,can't say the same for this male yorkie, sort of love hate relationship ,she hates him,but puts up with him,I know what you mean about nfh you think if it wasn't for my dogs I don't think I could have coped,our pets are our lives,they give us strength and love us no matter what, a dog just wants food ,a warm place to sleep ,walks,and to be loved to be happy........what do humans need to be happy...........everything and more,and we still not happy lol
bless all our animal friends,may we learn from them,about what little we DO need, to make us happy
take care pmt
Bonkers Mad!!!
02-10-10, 10:40 PM
CP will not put the cats to sleep, they will just ensure that no more kittens are born to be unloved. if the cats are feral they will be "done" and put back where they were found. if they are tame or tameable they will be rehomed.
allowing an animal to keep producing young that are not going to be cared for is an act of cruelty in itself imho. and it's a FACT that the majority of cats killed on the roads are entire males. please please get onto cats protection and do the right thing by these 2.
Dumped dog Ginger: RSPCA quiz three involved
By James Tourgout » (http://www.bridportnews.co.uk/news/biog/1173) http://www.bridportnews.co.uk/archive/2010/09/29/Local+News+%28de_local_news%29/8419578.Dumped_dog_Ginger__RSPCA_quiz_three_involv ed/
THE RSPCA has questioned three people linked to the dumping of Ginger the dog in Weymouth.
http://www.bridportnews.co.uk/resources/images/1436102/?type=display Ginger’s former owner Andy Shepherd
Inspectors talked to Ginger’s former owner Andy Shepherd after launching an investigation.
They have also quizzed the man who dumped the eight-year-old dog, Mick Hartley, and the driver of the car involved, Jenny Hadfield.
The Echo tracked down the trio to their homes in Bamber Bridge, Preston (http://www.bridportnews.co.uk/search/?search=Preston), in Lancashire, after images of Ginger being callously abandoned were shown around the world.
The investigation comes as wellwishers have flooded Bridport’s Woodland Farm Kennels with £400 in donations to help pay for Ginger’s care.
Weymouth and Portland (http://www.bridportnews.co.uk/search/?search=Portland) dog warden Ian Lewis said: “The three of them have been interviewed. Two have been interviewed about the elements causing unnecessary suffering by abandoning the animal and the owner for cruelty to the animal.”
Ginger is to undergo analysis by an animal behaviourist after claims by her former owner and his friends that she had bitten people.
She is also on medication for her arthritis which is improving but kennels owner Mary Bull expects Ginger to remain on it for most of the rest of her life.
Bottles of the medication can cost £30 to £40, although it is cheaper in bulk. Mrs Bull has about £400 in donations so far to help pay for Ginger’s care.
She has also been flooded with offers from people wanting to rehome Ginger but stopped taking a note of names when she got to 100.
Mrs Bull said: “Ginger’s arthritis is improving but she is going to be on medication for the rest of her life although there is likely to come a point when it is not effective.”
The maximum sentence for causing unnecessary suffering to an animal is six months in prison and a £20,000 fine.
RSPCA spokesman Jo Barr said: “As investigations are ongoing there is no more information available now.”
Mr Lewis has also appealed for dog and cat owners to get their pets chipped so they can be easily traced if they stray. He can provide the service. Call 01305 838432.