$1,500 fine for man who drove with dog on flatbed trailer

A man from Rocky View County is out $1,500 for driving with his dog tethered to an open flatbed trailer on Stoney Trail in Calgary.

The fine comes as part ofa joint submission between the Crown and defence that saw criminal and Animal Protection Act charges dropped againstVolodymyrIrodenko.

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The incident took place Oct.27, around 4:30 p.m., when witnesses saw and photographed the dog on a trailer with no side walls, towed behind a blackSUVtravelling approximately80 kilometres per hour.

The dog was not injured.

Explaining why the animal was behind the truck, tied with a leash, Irodenkosaid he was taking his dog to a car wash after it had been sprayed by a skunk.

"Mr. Irodenko showed a serious lapse of judgment in transportinghis dog in this manner regardless of the fact that it was skunked," said Judge Michael Dinkel."That is not a justifiable excuse."

'Am I under oath?'

The judge then turned to Irodenko to see if he felt remorse for his actions, but at first only received a reply from the defence lawyer about the backlash Irodenko faced for the incident.

When pressed by the judge, Irodenko said the dog was strong and well trained and that it was not in distress.

"You're telling me you don't feel bad about what you did?" askedDinkel.

"Am I under oath?" replied Irodenko.

The judge didn't respond andturned his attention to the fine, which Irodenko hassix months to pay.

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