THE REST OF THE STORY!!

UPDATED 6:11 p.m. Tuesday

The courtroom saga of Brindi the dog may soon be over.

A provincial court judge Tuesday fined owner Francesca Rogier $600 and ordered ownership of the dog transferred to the Halifax Regional Municipality in the latest chapter of a protracted battle over the dog’s fate.

However, Judge Flora Buchan stopped short of ordering the dog destroyed.

Buchan said Brindi should be treated like any other dog by the municipality and should be trained and adopted out if possible.

However, the possibility exists that the animal could be euthanized, but that will only happen if an assessment shows her behaviour can’t be changed and she isn’t adopted.

Brindi was seized from Rogier in September 2010 after the dog attacked another canine.

Rogier was found guilty earlier this spring of allowing a dog to run at large, failing to comply with an order to muzzle Brindi and owning a dog that attacks an animal.

It was the second time nine-year-old Brindi had been seized by animal control. She was previously picked up in 2008 after attacking another dog and was ordered euthanized.

However, Rogier successfully appealed and the dog was ordered to be returned to her with conditions that included keeping the dog muzzled in public, building a fence in her backyard and having the dog trained.

The second incident happened only two months after Rogier got the dog back.

While there was no evidence Brindi is beyond redemption, “sadly” that is not the case with her owner, Buchan said.

“I would describe Ms. Rogier as an irresponsible pet owner who has known since she (adopted) Brindi that she has control issues,” the judge said, while also calling her “unrepentant.”

In ordering Brindi’s ownership transferred to the municipality, Buchan said the dog “cannot safely be returned to Ms. Rogier.”

Rogier did not appear in court. Instead, she called dog trainer Susan Jordan shortly before her sentencing was due to start and asked her to appear on her behalf.

Jordan, who has worked with Brindi and Rogier, said she thinks Rogier didn’t show because she expected the emotions of the day to be too much for her.

“I think ... it was going to take more of a toll than she was prepared (to handle),” Jordan said. “To come out after that and try to be coherent and deal with the repercussions ... would be a little more than she could handle.”

She said she was pleased the court didn’t opt to immediately euthanize Brindi.

“I’ve trained and worked with the dog,” Jordan said. “This dog certainly has behavioural concerns. (It) needs modification training, but the dog is trainable.”

She said she has seen seen dogs with similar issues throughout the municipality.

Jordan said she last assessed Brindi two weeks ago and in all aspects, except territorial concerns, “this is a highly adoptable dog.”

An effort to contact Rogier through Jordan was unsuccessful.

While the the city sought an order to have Brindi destroyed, Katherine Salsman, the municipality’s lawyer, said the judge’s decision “is the best of both worlds.”

“It allows us to evaluate and ensure (if adoption) is the right decision to be made, ... but it still gives us the option to put the dog down if public safety reasons do require it.”

The order doesn’t take effect until Aug. 21 to allow time for an appeal.

(ifairclough@herald.ca)

Looks as if Fran lost her meal ticket!!

Brindi the dog turned over to HRM
June 26, 2012 - 10:58am By IAN FAIRCLOUGH Staff Reporter



Former owner Rogier fined $600
Francesca Rogier with Brindi in front of Rogier’s home in July 2010. A judge turned ownership of the dog over to the Halifax Regional Municipality and fined Rogier, Brindi’s former owner, $600. (TIM KROCHAK / Staff / File)
Francesca Rogier with Brindi in front of Rogier’s home in July 2010. A judge turned ownership of the dog over to the Halifax Regional Municipality and fined Rogier, Brindi’s former owner, $600. (TIM KROCHAK / Staff / File)

The case of Brindi the dog may well be over.

A provincial court judge has fined former owner Francesca Rogier $600 and ordered ownership of the dog be transferred to the Halifax Regional Municipality in the latest stage of a protracted battle over the dog's fate.

The judge stopped short of ordering the dog destroyed, however, and said Brindi should be treated like any other dog by the municipality and adopted out if possible.

Brindi was seized from Rogier for a second time in September 2010 after the dog attacked another. Rogier was found guilty last month of allowing a dog to run at large, failing to muzzle Brindi and owning a dog that attacked another.

Rogier did not appear in court. Susan Jordan, a trainer who has worked with Brindi and Rogier and appeared for her, said she thinks Rogier didn't show because she expected the emotions of the day to be too much for her.

(ifairclough@herald.ca)