A woman ties her dog to the back of a car and drags him

On April 5, 2023, around 7 pm, a 67-year-old pensioner in the district of Winterthur tied his Swiss mountain dog to the back of his Subaru with a rope. The animal initially refused to get back into the car after walking.

The woman attached one end of the two-meter-long rope to the dog’s leash and the other to the trunk latch. Then Pensioner chased him, according to the prosecutor at 10 to 20 km / h.

The 45 kg dog had to run after the car for at least 300 meters on the rough asphalt road. The owner of the dog was not in his field of vision. The dog could not follow, rolled, was pulled together, but managed to get out of the harness and lay wounded on the street.

Another driver honked, overtook the Subaru and slowed the retiring one to a stop. The dog suffered “severely broken nails” on all four legs, bruises on the paw pads and all four legs.

He was taken to an animal hospital and several open wounds had to be stitched. He suffered no serious or permanent injuries. The veterinary office immediately took the dog from the owner. He hasn’t seen her since.

No previous experience as a dog owner

The pensioner has been a widow since 2021. She bought the dog at the end of January 2022. She had never owned a dog before and therefore had no experience as an owner. He wanted the dog to get on with his life. “That there is someone” and that he can be there for someone.

He bought a large dog on purpose because he wanted to take long walks with the animal. He also has a big house and a big garden. He attended all mandatory dog ​​courses as well as optional courses and special courses to learn how to deal with stubbornness in dogs. “I thought I could do it.”

During the interview, the woman said that she underwent abdominal surgery two months before the incident. That’s why he couldn’t lift heavy things. On the day of the incident, he was also sick, feeling unwell and urgently needed to go to the toilet. But the dog refused to get into the car. He didn’t have any cookies, he forgot his phone at home and couldn’t call anyone. That’s why he tied the dog to the car.

“What happened to you?” asks one judge – “I want to go home,” answers the defendant. – “What did you think?” – “Not much, I want to go home to the toilet and pee my pants.” The accused breaks down in tears at times.

The pensioner confirms that he did not see the animal during the trip. But he drove more slowly than the prosecutor claimed. When he came out and discovered what had happened, he had the “shock of his life.” “I didn’t think for a second that I could hurt him,” he insists: “Those pictures haunt me all my life.”

The pensioner denies that he wanted to train the dog. “It was not out of malice, but out of ignorance.” He could “slap himself” for it, that is, slap himself in the face. He is sad and ashamed.

A project that was destined to fail

The prosecutor sees the purchase of the dog as “a project that failed from the beginning.” The accused could not lift the dog, which weighed more than 40 kg. But mountain dogs are known for their stubbornness. The dog just followed his instincts and behaved like the breed.

The prosecutor demands 10 months’ imprisonment and a fine of 1,000 francs for intentional cruelty to animals. He is sure that the accused wanted to train the dog and break his love. He is talking about direct intention. It was only by chance that the dog did not suffer any internal injuries or broken bones.

The defense attorney is asking for a conditional fine for negligent animal cruelty, without specifying the amount. It is a breach of duty of care. The woman was completely overwhelmed by the situation and was sick.

When handing down the decision, one judge explains that anyone who acts as a pensioner accepts that the dog will be injured. There is no other way. The important thing was that the woman no longer had the dog in her field of vision while driving. That has nothing to do with negligence anymore. The court thinks there was an urgent intention.

The woman was overtaken by a mountain dog and finally she was completely useless. However, the accused is not a criminal in any way, but he committed a one-time offence.

The 67-year-old pensioner has been sentenced to a conditional fine of 130 daily rates of 140 francs (18,200 francs) and a 2-year probationary period and a fine of 1,400 francs for possible intentional cruelty to animals. He will also be ordered to pay a court fee of 1,800 francs.

Judgment GG230069 of April 8, 2024, which is not yet legally binding.