Man shoots dog in protest

A Northland man shot dead his dog after a row with Whangarei District Council over registering the animal.

Alan Agnew has tried three times to register his dog Coz with the council since July.

But he refused to supply his date of birth as required by the council, considering it a breach of privacy, The Northern Advocate reported.

"The council are just being nosy and are trying to find something to bully me over," he said.

Mr Agnew, from Kamo, then decided to have the dog put down rather than give in to the council.

But when a vet had told him that would cost $111, he shot the dog himself.

Mr Agnew then put the Coz into a dog biscuit bag and took it to the council to "make it into a bigger issue".

Whangarei SPCA manager Francine Shields said it was sad someone should feel desperate enough to take such a measure.

- NZPA