Dogs may be man's best friend but they are not part of the family, Judge David Saunders ruled in Alexandra District Court yesterday.
Before the court was Auckland man Graeme Dobson, 49, who was appearing for sentence on a charge of careless driving causing injury for which he was convicted in
Alexandra District Court last year.
Dobson crashed his rental vehicle on State Highway 89, the Crown Range Road, on July 5 last year, badly damaging his vehicle and the Subaru vehicle he collided with.
The owners of the Subaru, Wanaka couple Peter and Madeleine Wilson, yesterday presented a reparation claim which included $830 spent on searching for their pet dog, an 8-year-old english springer spaniel, called Gus. The expenses included the hire of a helicopter for half a day to look for the dog.
Gus was sitting on Mrs Wilson's lap before the crash and scampered from the vehicle straight afterwards and could not be found.
Mr Wilson said yesterday that the whole community went looking for Gus and he had spent many hours tramping over farmland and driving through the Crown Range Rd looking for the family pet.
The helicopter did not find the dog, but Gus was eventually found fit and well eight days after going missing.
In court yesterday, defence counsel Russell Checketts said he did not think the dog could be classified as a member of the family so could not fall under the order of reparation.
Judge Saunders agreed with Mr Checketts.
In Wanaka, Mr Wilson said it was just great to have Gus back, and the family did not regret for one second having paid the money because he definitely considered Gus part of the family.
Judge Saunders ordered Dobson to pay reparation of $3700 to the Wilsons for other losses.
Dobson also had to pay court costs of $130 and witness expenses of $965.
- NZPA
