Dempsey,
pictured with her owner Diane Fanneran and Trevor Cooper
OUR
DOGS is sad to report the passing of Dempsey, the Pit Bull
Terrier who, at one time was one of the most famous dogs in
the country indeed, in the whole world. She was a dog
that earned her fame, a dog whose endurance was an inspiration
to us all human and canine alike, because Dempsey was
the dog who cracked the hated 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act wide
open.
The fact that she celebrated her 17th birthday on Sunday,
February 2nd 2003 is quite an achievement for any dog, but
considering the fact that she was not expected to live beyond
her nineth birthday, with a bloodthirsty establishment seeking
every possible way to kill her under the strictest and most
draconian terms of DDA.
Dempsey, who was owned by Diane Fanneran, of Hanwell, west
London, had never shown any aggression to any other dog or
human being in her life, yet she found herself on doggy death
row for over three years, thanks to the intransigence of the
law. Dempsey was being taken for a walk by family friend Mark
Cichon one evening in April 1992, duly muzzled and leashed,
in accordance with the newly enacted law. Suddenly, she began
to choke, trying to vomit, but unable to because of her muzzle.
Mark quickly removed the muzzle to allow Dempsey to be sick,
at which point two police officers one of them an Inspector
- pulled up in a patrol car and informed him that he had broken
the law by having a Pit Bull unmuzzled in a public place.
Marks protests that Dempsey was normally muzzled and
that hed only removed the muzzle temporarily to allow
her to vomit and not chokes to death were waved aside as irrelevant.
After all, he was told, the law is the law.
Mark was summonsed to appear in court under the terms of the
DDA, but he neglected to mention the fact to Diane. The case
was heard at Ealing Magistrates Court three months later
where Mark was found guilty of breaking the law and Dempsey
was sentenced to death, as the magistrates then had no discretion
in sentencing under the DDA. - Mark was notified by letter
on 15th July to surrender the dog to the police for destruction.
He then went to Dianes place of work to drop the bombshell
on her.
Solitary
Thus
it was, the next day, 16th July, Diane in a state of shock
delivered Dempsey to Ealing police station, from where she
was taken to be placed in solitary confinement in a bare concrete
kennel in the station yard, later to be taken secret kennels.
But Diane did not come alone - she was accompanied by Stan
James, a reporter from the local newspaper, who took photographs
of the handover, much to the anger of Inspector Nursey, the
policeman who had approached Mark that fateful day.
From here on, the legal merry-ground that was the DDA began.
There were numerous appeals made on Dempsey's behalf over
the next three years, first by the solicitor acting for Mark,
then later by the solicitor acting for Diane, well-known DDA
expert Trevor Cooper. - The appeals were heard at Crown Court,
the High Court, the House of Lords and the High Court again.
All were rejected. The law said that Dempsey had to die.
Diane is convinced that matters had progressed far beyond
the original charge Dempsey had become a pawn to those in
authority.
"I realised that the whole Establishment was out to get
her, not because she was a dangerous dog, but because she
was a Pit Bull," says Diane grimly, "The DDA was
coming under a great deal of criticism at that time, there
were lots of dogs like Otis, Buster and Kizzie held in kennels
at that time and they wanted to make an example of her, breaking
the legal challenges."
Dempseys story was reported extensively in the canine
press, as well as local and then later, national and international
newspapers. The French actress turned animal welfare campaigner
Brigitte Bardot was so concerned about Dempsey's plight that
she offered to fly the dog out to France to live out her days
at her own animal sanctuary, entirely at Ms Bardot's expense.
The offer was put to Home Secretary Michael Howard, who bluntly
refused, saying that he could not intervene in the process
of law.
A final date was set for the case to be heard in the High
Court in November 1995 and there seemed no other legal argument
to save Dempseys life. But with just two days to go
to the crucial hearing, anti-DDA campaigner Juliette Glass
discovered a legal loophole by checking through the case notes
of another, little known DDA case, that of Robertina Reilly
and her dog Tempra. The case bore remarkable similarities
to Dempseys case and had been dismissed by the High
Court when it was found that Reilly, as the dogs owner,
had not been informed of the court hearing just like
Diane Fanneran. As Juliette Glass herself remarked, this was
truly a case of divine intervention. The High Court heard
from Ealing magistrates that if Diane had been in court that
day, matters might have progressed very differently.
The two High Court judges considered this new evidence, and,
pointedly remarking that they took a very dim view of the
prosecution's whole case and promptly ordered that Dempsey
be released.
"I just cant describe that feeling when I sat there
in court and heard that shed be released," says
Diane. "It still makes me fill up to this day. And then
when she was brought home the next evening
."
Then 24 hours later, before TV cameras and press reporters,
Diane and Dempsey were reunited. - The pair had only seen
each other once for a brief meeting since Dempsey was seized.
For the next few days, Dempsey was the most famous dog in
Britain, appearing on TV and in newspapers. - She even knocked
Princess Diana off the front page of the Daily Mail!
Happily, Dempsey had no brushes with the law since and was,
for some time, a regular figure anti-DDA protests, a symbol
of true justice against adversity.
Perhaps not surprisingly for an elderly dog, Dempseys
health has deteriorated in recent years, suffering from heart
problem and arthritis. Dianes own health took a downward
turn, prompting Diane to joke: "We both take our pills
together were a real couple of old dames together!"
But last Sunday, Dempsey made it clear to Diane that she could
go on no longer. "She was so lethargic and I could see
in her eyes that shed had enough," Diane told OUR
DOGS. "We contacted campaigners Eugene and Amanda, who
live close by and they arranged for a vet to come to the house.
She was put to sleep in her own bed, held by Keith. It was
very peaceful, she simply just closed her eyes and drifted
away."
Dempsey was buried later that day in Dianes back garden
ironically in the same site as a grave was dug for
her in 1995 when all hope seemed lost.
"Shell live on in the garden, through the flowers,"
said Diane. "And I know shes truly free now, her
spirit is free to run, with no muzzle or lead. Because Dempsey
and dogs like her never had real freedom. They always had
to be muzzled and leashed in public. If she wanted a run,
Id have to run with her, holding her on the lead. But
shes free from all that now.
"She was a truly remarkable dog, and my life is all the
richer for having known her. She was good, gentle and happy
in fact, she was never happier than when my grandchildren
used to come and visit. Even well into her old age, she would
always play with them. She never let her experience of her
lost years change her character for the worst she was
always my very special girl."
Tribute to Dempsey
Juliette
and John Glass, Fury Defence Fund: "We are greatly saddened
to hear of the death of Dempsey and have spoken at length
to Diane to express our deep condolences. Dempsey, like our
own beloved Holly,epitomised the very essence of the American
Pit Bull Terrier with her beauty, courage and gentility. Holly
championed Dempseys cause all during her four years
unjust incarceration by the authorities, going on all the
Save Dempsey marches organised by Jean Dyson and
also attending the courts and TV studios with Carla Lane and
others to support Dempsey. They both played happily together
when Dempsey was released and I know in all certainty that
Holly was waiting for her dear friend Dempsey at the Rainbow
Bridge.
Everyone who met Dempsey loved her, she was a special lady
and a superb ambassador for the American Pit Bull Terrier."
Amanda Dunkley, Endangered Dogs Defence and Rescue:
Dempsey was a shining example of an American Pit Bull
Terrier and a true ambassador of the breed.
In the end she was surrounded by the people who loved
her and in her own home as she peacefully passed away, it
was a very sad and moving moment for us all. A beautiful,
precious friend and companion has been lost.
Dempsey is now truly free of man's most appalling legislation
in the shape of the atrocious DDA.
She.will remain in our hearts always, gone from sight
but not forgotten.
Otis, Lacey, Jessie and many others will keep her company
- till we all meet again.
Richard Smith, NCDL:
Dempsey was a wonderful dog who will be greatly missed
by all who knew her.
Our thoughts go to Diane who fought so hard for Dempsey's
freedom and had an incredible 17 years with her treasured
pet.
See next weeks issue for a tribute to Dempsey by Janet Payne