Guernsey Press

Police investigation after dog kicked off footpath

A POLICE investigation is under way after a dog was kicked off the footpath at Grandes Rocques by a man who was protecting a pregnant goat he was walking.

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Chris Merrien with his goats, left to right, Gertie, Woolly and Daisy. Mr Merrien said that it was his father who kicked the dog after it acted aggressively towards his goats along the path at Grandes Rocques. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 20680723)

They have appealed for witnesses.

‘If anyone was in the area of the former Grandes Rocques Hotel during the morning of Sunday, 19 February and witnessed an incident between a man who was moving three tethered goats and a female dog walker, then we would urge them to get in contact,’ Duty Inspector Lisa Sylvester said.

‘Both parties have been spoken to and investigations are ongoing.’

The dog, Dolly, a rescue from Spain brought to the island by the Little Black Dog Rescue, had to receive veterinary treatment after the incident. She had a limp and underwent scans to check she had no internal injuries.

Her foster owner, Leigh Khankashi, said Dolly has no serious injuries but had been shaken up by the incident.

There was no reason, she said, for the man to kick Dolly. She had been walking three dogs, Dolly and another foster dog were off the lead while her dog was on the lead.

‘We were walking around the corner and I remember saying “Oh goats”,’ she said.

‘They were standing three abreast and there was another person standing against the wall.’

She said there was no room to pass and Dolly did a startle bark but nothing more. The man at first kicked the other foster dog before kicking Dolly, launching her into the air, over the side of the path and onto the rocks, she said.

She was about to put Dolly back on the lead in case she was unsure of passing the goats.

‘It all happened so quick. It was totally unacceptable.’

Dolly was wedged inbetween some rocks and she had to climb down to her aid.

‘She was shivering and limping and has bruising.’

She added that she had shouted at the man as she was shocked about what had happened.

‘I’m totally for goats to be out walking, I’ve seen them on the beach and I think it is brilliant.

‘But that was totally out of line.’

The owner of the goats, Chris Merrien, said he, his father and his friend had been walking with his goats on leads along the path. His friend was in front, he was in the middle and his dad was behind them with the pregnant goat.

‘The lady had three dogs – one on the lead and two off the lead,’ he said.

One of the dogs off the lead started barking and then the other off the lead jumped up with its teeth exposed. It was then that his dad kicked the dog, believing it was going to attack the goat, he said.

‘If he hadn’t have kicked the dog, the goat would be badly hurt and would have been put down and we would have lost the babies too,’ said Mr Merrien, who has had the goats for a year and a half.

‘I’ve never been so grateful for a boot in the air. He didn’t kick it very hard but it was in mid-air and it went flying. It was very unfortunate but if he hadn’t had done it, I would have a dead goat.’

  • Anyone with information should contact Guernsey Police on 725111, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.