Cologne -
How common: A Cologne (25) On the road with a hedgehog in Meschenich football player, then tried to put the little animal on fire. Since the introduction of the new Animal Welfare Act, a case for the Cologne District Court.
After all, who torments a vertebrate, will face up to one year imprisonment.
Peter K. (25, real name) is a plumber and holds Mechelen-Shepherd. The incident happened in late September last year. Peter wanted to fix in an open area near the "Cologne Berg's his car, his unleashed dog had then. Not even discovered the 1000-gram hedgehogs and nudged the nose of the animal.
The little hedgehog did what has given him the nature of the defense: He curled up into a prickly ball. The dog was starting to feel on the nose, as are such sharp spines. And howled aloud.
What happened next was the prosecutor in the District Court as follows: "For this not to happen again, he leinte the dog to not, but the hedgehog was repeated with such force that he flew away several times to several meters." On top is Peter K. have paper or cardboard on fire and sent to the hedgehog.
This was a 48-year-old teacher, who was in her apartment in Meschenisch the window. "Get out the fire immediately," she called the 25-year-olds to unmistakably loud. In the witness stand she told the court: "When he realized that there were witnesses, he stopped immediately." She called the police. The ashes placed marks on the hedgehog down. Otherwise, the animal no injuries, officials had put it in a bush.
Peter wanted to know about animal cruelty in court yesterday, nothing. "I have the hedgehog just something pushed aside," he says. And: "Then I burned in my garage statements, the pieces bore the wind to the hedgehog."
"I'll take them off do not," said the judge, not least because of the credible testimony of the neighbor. She threatened with a hefty penalty. After consulting with his lawyer Peter finally declared: "The incident I'm sorry." This quasi-confession saved him from a conviction. The judge instead imposed a monetary edition of 500 € at the shelter ruler to pay.
