A woman introduces a Rottweiler puppy to Switzerland that is too young. The animal develops into a problem dog.
The owner knew that the Rottweiler “in play mode” could snap at a “human playmate”.
A young Rottweiler chases after a 14-year-old girl and bites her thigh. Because of the bleeding wound, the girl has to see a doctor.
This happened in February 2021 in a community in the Zurich Unterland. The keeper had not let her Rottweiler outside on a leash.
Puppies introduced negligently
The history shows how the four-legged friend developed into a problem dog: On May 3, 2020, the Rottweiler puppy saw the light of day in Germany. On June 20, 2020, he was illegally imported into Switzerland at the age of 48 days.
Legally, it was about “negligent import of a puppy under 56 days old”, which is regulated in Article 22 of the Swiss Animal Welfare Ordinance. Accordingly, the import and transit of puppies that are less than 56 days old without being accompanied by their mother or a wet nurse is prohibited. It is a transgression.
The journey of the four-legged friend was the beginning of a chain of events that have now led to a penalty order from the public prosecutor in Winterthur/Unterland.
A 29-year-old Swiss hotel manager has been sentenced to a conditional fine of 120 daily rates of CHF 70 (with an extended probationary period of 3 years) and a fine of CHF 2,100 for multiple negligent bodily harm and other offences. There are also 800 francs in fees. The penalty order remained unchallenged and is therefore legally binding.
Bitten «In game mode»
According to the penalty order, the Rottweiler was unable to complete the intended young dog school in 2021, when he bit the girl, due to the Covid measures at the time. However, the accused knew from personal experience that the dog – whose name refers to a god of healing – could snap “in play mode” for a “human playmate”.
In September 2021, the dog bit again when the woman was with him in Zurich Seebach. This time, too, she did not lead him on a leash, whereupon the four-legged friend attacked a passer-by who happened to be walking by and also – again – bit him in the thigh. This victim also had to see a doctor. The penalty order again mentions the “game mode”. This time, however, the accused knew that a similar incident had already occurred in February.
The importation of the 48-day-old puppy is also only a matter of negligence, according to the penal order. According to the public prosecutor, if she had acted properly, the woman could have known that the dog was too young if she had found out about the applicable regulations and acted accordingly.
property damage and trespassing
As the penalty order further shows, the woman seems to have another problem in addition to her dog. She has also been convicted of multiple property damage and trespassing: in August, September and October 2021, she broke into the property of a company in her local community three times. The first time, around 6 p.m. in the evening, she smashed the window of the front door to the building with a stone, causing damage of around 3,000 francs.
The second time, early in the morning, she demolished the pane of a warehouse door and a display case in the company’s canteen after breaking into the building without authorization. This time she caused damage of 1100 francs. The third time, in October, a staircase lighting and again the glass insert of an entrance door had to accept it. The damage done this time even amounted to 5000 francs.
According to the penal order, the civil action is referred to the civil court. A seized stone “is released and handed over to the camp authorities for use as a voucher”.