Animal rights protesters confront woman accused of dragging dog

Heather Anderson from the Daisy Foundation, a group that fights for stiffer penalties for animal abusers, confronted a smiling Harris outside of the Strathmore courthouse, east of Calgary, during a break.

“How can you be joking? Your dog just died. I don’t find anything funny about this,” Anderson said. “I want to know why the dog didn’t end up at a vet.”

Harris replied it wasn’t her fault and said her boyfriend had tied the dog to the hitch of her car.

“I drove away to get gas,” Harris said.

Her car ran out of gas and she left on foot to get help, she said.

“He was in pain and I knew he was dying and I ran for help,” Harris said.

“Shut up. I didn’t tie my dog up and I wouldn’t never had done that to my dog. Am I laughing about my dog? No, I’m crying every day.”

Harris waited for most of the day for her named to be called in court. She was told that the Crown was amending the charge against her but it wasn’t clear what the new charge will be.

Harris, who now lives in Mackenzie, B.C., has been ordered to return to court Sept. 5.

RCMP have issued an arrest warrant for True Underwood, 20, who is also charged with causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

Anderson founded the Daisy Foundation in 2006 after a 19-year-old man was charged with animal cruelty when a dog named Daisy Duke was dragged up and down the street in Didsbury, Alta.

“It really reminded me of Daisy Duke and when she got killed. Dragged behind the vehicle by someone who was supposed to love her. It was way too familiar for me,” Anderson said outside of court.

“Obviously the poor thing died and he suffered. It’s pretty sad.”

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Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Animal rights protesters confront woman accused of dragging dog

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