Equal time for doggies?
Rick:
Chicken-killing Sabrina is given the leash
By Jared Stearns, 7/18/2003
West Tisbury town officials have slapped a permanent restraining order
against Sabrina, the Martha's Vineyard dog whose DNA linked her to seven dead
chickens.
They told the dog's owner, Karin Magid, that her malamute-collie mix must be
kept on a leash at all times when she is outside. They also told Magid
Wednesday to pay a $200 bond to the town that will be returned in one year, if
the
dog behaves. But if Sabrina is caught killing chickens again, or threatening
other livestock, Sabrina will be put to death, town officials said.
Malcolm Jones , the chicken's owner, said he was satisfied with the sentence.
''I don't want to kill dogs. I love dogs,'' Jones said.
But he said he also wanted to send a message to dog owners to be responsible
for their pets. ''I want to protect my chickens,'' he said. ''When you get hit
in the pocketbook, [you] pay attention.''
In March, for the third time in a year, Jones discovered his chicken coop had
been raided. He sent dog hair discovered in the coop and strands pulled from
three suspect canines, including Sabrina's, to a private lab in California for
DNA analysis. The results cleared the other two dogs. But Sabrina's hair was
a perfect match.
Magid could not be reached for comment last night.
Jones, who has raised chickens for 43 years, asked Magid to pay the $400 cost
of the DNA test, as well as the standard $50 price for each chicken.
Instead, she paid Jones half the amount of the DNA test, and $25 for each
chicken. Jones turned over most of the money to the town's animal control
office,
keeping $25 toward the installation of a closed-circuit television system to
monitor his chickens.
JARED STEARNS
This story ran on page B1 of the Boston Globe on 7/18/2003.
) Copyright 2003 Globe Newspaper Company.
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