The leader of Salisbury City Council has spoken out after he was filmed ‘scruffing’ his dog on a walk in the countryside.
Councillor Sam Charleston was captured on video by a member of the public lifting his dog off the ground by grabbing the skin on the back of its neck near Old Sarum Castle.
The technique is highly criticised and pet welfare experts say it can cause physical pain and psychological trauma in adult animals.
“A dog should never be ‘handbagged’ or ‘scruffed’ (i.e. lifted by grabbing the skin on the dog’s back and/or neck)”, the RSPCA states in a handling guide.
Cllr Charleston told Wiltshire 999s that he accepts it was not the right way to pick up his female dog, who he believed was still in heat, after being unable to recall her.
He said: “I want to be really clear that my dog is very happy and healthy… I’m not intentionally doing anything to hurt her.
“My dog is just coming out of her season, and while she had been mostly fine during that dog walk, I was concerned that if she wasn’t coming back that perhaps it’s not as finished as it might be.
“That’s why I went over to pick her up. Obviously they disagreed with the way that I’ve picked her up.
“There’s obviously a bit of learning that needs to be done… I’m happy to accept that.
“I was not necessarily aware that that was a bad way to pick up a dog, even a small dog. But no it’s not normally how I’d handle her.”
Cllr Charleston said the he had this afternoon (Sunday) spoken to Wiltshire Police, reporting concerns about the incident and the threats and abuse received after the video was posted on social media.
“ I was immediately shouted at, screamed at, sworn at… where they say I’ve gotten (sic) defensive, frankly it’s because I’ve asked them to stop screaming and swearing around my children.
“I’m liaising with the police because, the other side of the story that the extremely short clop does not show, was that a very large group of people shouted and screamed, and moved aggressively towards me.
“They made me fear for my own safety and the safety of my children.”
The video features the comment: “It’s only a dog”. However, Cllr Charleston – a Liberal Democrat – categorically denies he said that and from the footage it is not clear who said the phrase.
