Judge bails breeder from the dog box

A Pekingese breeder has been given another chance to get herself out of the dog box after a judge decided she did not get a fair hearing over a snarky dog show comment.

Internationally renowned Pekingese breeder Mary Phillips, who owns Beaulaines Kennels in Greytown, took the fight to the High Court at Wellington. Her case is to be reconsidered after Justice Miller yesterday sent the matter back to the New Zealand Kennel Club (NZKC) for a further look.

Mrs Phillips is alleged to have made a remark about the winner of a class at the Wairarapa Kennel Association show limping in the hearing of the judge.

Dog shows are highly competitive and cut-throat, as spoofed in the movie Best In Show.

Mrs Phillips apparently told her own dog: "Come along, see if you can move your back legs like that and slip your patellas [kneecaps] like that and win".

The offended judge complained, and the association sent the complaint to the NZKC to hear.

Mrs Phillips had argued that the complaint, arising out of a show, should have been dealt with by the show committee. She said the NZKC had no jurisdiction to hear it.

She was initially suspended from showing for three years and had her dogs deregistered for the same length of time. It was later cut to one year.

The penalty meant she would not be able to sell her dogs internationally and would affect her reputation. Her puppies sell for $1000 as pedigree stock, which requires NZKC registration.

If the kennel association had heard the complaint, it could reprimand or require an apology but not suspend.

Justice Miller said the NZKC's judicial review committee had not heard Mrs Phillips on the issue of jurisdiction or anything else because it did not hold a hearing or call for submissions.

- NZPA