On the 18th of August 2022 at around 22:30 my cousin was admitted to Kingston hospital after an incident with my dog (Tokyo).  The incident occurred after my cousin approached my dog’s face to pretend to eat her chew which caused my dog to lash out.

The Police got involved and visited my house they gave me two options which are either the police take the dog train her and assess its temperament, and bring her back, however, if my dog were to re-offend, I would face prosecution.

The other option was the police would take Tokyo under their control to assess her temperament, train her, and rehome her with a family with older children, outcomes may be to take her to a farm to be a guard dog, if Tokyo was totally aggressive “biting people for no reason then we will put her down", that’s the last option these were the statements of the police dog unit.

I was misled and made to feel the latter option was the best option even though I know my dog better than anyone and she has never displayed anything like that behaviour these traits are instinctive to most dog breeds.  I was told repeatedly that the best option for me and my family was to hand her over to the Police. I was intimidated to decide immediately as well as being rushed to answer questions.

I did not get the chance to say goodbye properly to my dog which whom I had a bond for only 2 years when normally it should be 10 years with a dog watching it grow up and have an enjoyable life. The family were crying including my mother who had been in a turmoil state and had not slept the whole night as she was in the hospital with my cousin

In a moment of haste, I was told to take Tokyo to a holding kennel in Wimbledon, I was escorted in a van to take her to a kennel, I was rushed to say goodbye to my dog, and I felt as though I was wasting the polices time after a rushed goodbye.

It was very painful saying goodbye in a kennel hearing her whimper and bark for me to return to her there was no compassion from the officers for what I was going through. I felt as though I had abandoned her.  On the drive home, the police asked for my mobile number and a police officer sitting next to me told me to sign a screen of an iPad.  There were no details on the screen just a blank screen that I was asked to sign with a stylus. I had no idea why I was signing a blank screen; I was given no documentation and had no idea about where my dog would be taken.  No explanation of what or why I was signing a blank screen was given to me.

I was promised I would receive a call as soon as she arrived at a bordering stay to start testing that did not materialise; I felt sick in the stomach at this point I felt the officers had a lack of awareness of what I was going through. I also had no contact details no leaflet flyer or a report reference.  I had no way of contacting the dog unit and speaking to the gentleman who made me feel my dog was safe.  

My dog Tokyo was put to death that evening, I later realised after signing the iPad that I was disclaiming my dog and signing her off to die.  I realised after I complained that my dog was put down shortly after I had dropped her off at the police kennel.  After she was killed she was cremated her remains were discarded.  I didn't get the chance to keep her ashes which is something I would have wanted.

This miscarriage of justice is an act of animal cruelty my dog wasn't given a chance to live and the police force deceived and lied about what was going to happen to my dog Tokyo.  The Police knew what was going to happen to my dog but decided to deceive a family.

Everything was captured on camera and these are the true events and facts of what happened on the dreadful day of the 19th of August 2022.  We must change the law so that all animals are given a chance to live even if the police take them and we as members of the public are not lied to and deceived.  Police officers should be prosecuted just as the public is for such acts of cruelty.