WRONGFULLY IDENTIFIED

·        Peanut

·        Tan/White, Staffordshire terrier x Boxer x Beagle – Blue Eyes, Male, 5 years old.

·        Born in the USA .

·        December 15^th 1999 , Bill of sale, from Las Vegas Boxer Rescue, one male pup, from a female Boxer, father Staffordshire terrier, beagle cross.

·        Started the process of importing “Peanut” to Australia from the USA , Sept 17 2001 , information from the Embassy of Australia Washington DC, PH (202) 797-3319 Fax (202) 797-3037, Office of Veterinary Counsellor, 1601 Massachusetts Ave , Washington DC 20036 .

·        Information from the US Department of Agriculture APHIS-AVIC.

·        Veterinary Counsellor, Philip CORRIGAN.

·        Information from AQIS, November 2000.

·        Step (1): General Eligibility. Note. Checked to be not a Pit bull. Step (2): Check the date of last Rabies Vaccination.

·        Step (3): Microchip Dog or Cat. Checked to be not a Pit bull.

·        Step (4): Find a “Registered” Veterinarian, an “Official (Government) Veterinarian” and a “Government approved Laboratory”.

·        Step (5): Rabies Neutralising Antibody Titre Test (RNATT). Checked to be not a Pit bull.

·        Step (6): Applying for a Permit to Import.

·        Step (7): Permit to Import.

·        Step (8): Commence Travel Arrangements.

·        Step (9): General Vocation.

·        Step (10): Dogs only, Brucellosis, Ehrlichiosis. Checked to be not a Pit bull.

·        Step (11): Dogs only External Parasites. Checked to be not a Pit bull.

·        Step (12): Dogs only, Leptospirosis. Checked to be not a Pit bull.

·        Step (13): Book Pre Flight Inspection. Dog checked to be not a Pit bull.

·        Step (14): Intestinal Parasite Treatment, Checked to be not a Pit bull.

·        Step (15): Dogs that have lived in Africa . N/A.

·        Step (16): Cats only. N/A.

·        Step (17): Flea Bath for Dog. Checked to be not a Pit bull.

·        Step (18): Completion of Veterinary Certificate A, Including Pre-Export Inspection. Checked to be not a Pit bull.

·        Step (19): Completion of Veterinary Certificate B, Sealing Animal in the Shipping Container. Checked to be not a Pit bull.

·        Step (20): Check Pet in with Airline. Checked to be not a Pit bull.

·        On arrival to Australia, Placed in Quarantine, Animal Quarantine Centre, 60 Wallgrove Road, Eastern Creek, N.S.W 2766, Phone No: (02)9 625 45566, Fax No: (02)9 832 1532. Invoice Number 303351.

·        Checked to be not a Pit bull.

·        Released to James Thompson on the 19^th of June 2003 , Receipt Number R303351. Checked to be not a Pit bull.

·        Fax from Las Vegas Boxer Rescue confirming that James had purchased a pup Boxer/Staffordshire terrier, Beagle cross, with contact details.

·        Before registered on the Gold Coast City Council, James was informed that terrier crosses or any dog resembling one, were being misidentified as pit bull terriers and subjected to destruction orders by council, after spending several thousand dollars on bringing “Peanut” to Australia, he registered his dog as a cross breed, Beagle/Boxer. As he knew that “Peanut” was not a Pit bull, a restricted dog breeds. Peanut is now registered within the Gold Coast City Council, until at the Spit a complaint was made that “Peanut” was a Pit bull.

·        On the 9^th of September 2003, a warning Notice was issued by G.C.C.C.

·        Officers from Animal Control inspected “Peanut” and by looking at his head, his jaw line and mouth, told James he was a Pit bull, and he had no other option but to register “Peanut” as a Pit bull.

·        On the 10^th of September 2003 at 9.45 am two Officers completed the Identification Checklist- American Pit bull terrier, Officer Mark Pavey Officers code AC30, scored Peanut 55 out of a possible 66. Chris Burns Officer code AC55,scored peanut 51 out of 66.

·        James informed the ACO Peanut was not a Pit bull and could prove it, they informed him it didn’t matter, and “Peanut” was a Pit bull.

·        Conformation 22/11/2003 that Peanut was now registered as an American Pit bull with a Restricted Dog Permit.

·        On the 15^th of December 2004 a close friend and James were playing piggy in the middle with “Peanut” and a Frisbee, over a swimming pool.

·        James threw the Frisbee for his friend to catch before “Peanut” would get it, but they both got it at the same time and his friend accidentally got bitten.

·        They thought they would do the right thing, so they went to the doctor and got a tetanus shot but they did not think that the Doctor would inform the Animal Control Department that this was a dog attack.

·        James’s friend called him when the ACO’s started to investigate the incident so James was forced to Get “Peanut” Out of the State, and move there himself.

·        As Peanut was forced to be registered as a Pit bull a dog attack of any nature would result in more stress and cost to fight any action the G.C.C.C would take.

·        James wish’s to move back to the Gold Coast and after advice from Aegis Protection; James feels he has nothing to answer to as “Peanut is a Boxer/Staffordshire terrier, Beagle cross, otherwise how did “Peanut get through two custom agencies, 7 Vet checks in the USA and one in Australia .

·        James has asked for all the documentation from the G.C.C.C on his dog “Peanut” in order to see how they identified him as a Pit bull.

·        James has contacted Brenda Webber from Nerang, to obtain information under a F.O.I, 24th of April 2005.

·        10^th of May 2005, F.O.I has arrived, confirming the following:

·        Due to the obviously poor training of the two Animal Control Officers, and an apparent lack of knowledge of what breed standards are used for (the checklist), I was bullied and lied to by the Gold Coast City Council to falsely register my Dog Peanut as an American Pit bull terrier. I was put under unnecessary stress and fanatical cost for owning a non restricted dog.