Ownership dispute lands pet dog in police custody

Ownership dispute lands pet dog in police custody
HERALD CORRESPONDENT
CALANGUTE, MARCH 31
Believe it or not, an Alsatian dog is in custody at Anjuna Police Station, following a dispute over ownership of the pet dog.
Besides their other duties, the Anjuna police is now been entrusted with additional duties of feeding and caring for Tilak, the pet dog.
“The poor creature is forced to stay at Anjuna police station due to a court battle between two persons claiming to be owners of the dog,” said Paul, a friend of one person claiming to be the dog’s owner.
According to sources, Anjuna police carried out an identification practice, where the complainant and the accused were asked to stand at two opposite directions and Tilak was left to identify its owner.
The pet dog went to the complainant but the police was unable to hand over Tilak to the complainant due to a court litigation in the matter.
According to Anjuna PI Manjunath Dessai, they are forced to keep the dog at the police station as a complaint has been filed for theft of the pet dog.
“We tried to settle the matter amicably, but nothing fruitful worked out. Hence, we were left with no option than to register a case. The matter is now pending with the court,” he added.
According to sources, Tilak went missing from the complainant since February 2009 and was recently traced, courtesy the friends of the complainant.
Based on the description of the dog, which was later identified by the complainant, a complaint was lodged with Anjuna police. The pet dog landed at Anjuna police station in the complainant’s car, when he had taken the police to identify his pet at the place of the accused.