NEWTON, Mass. — A court has apparently gone to the dogs as it has summoned a golden retriever to answer charges of allegedly walking around without a leash.
Murphy received a summons to appear in Newton District Court to respond to charges that he twice walked around leashless and that he had not updated his dig license. The 3-year-old dog was fined $25 for not having a leash and another $25 for not have an up-to-date license.
The summons and fine was intended for Murphy's owner, Steven Dean. On June 3, an Animal Control officer stopped Dean and Murphy and took note of the dog's alleged offenses.
"He told me I needed to keep him [Murphy] on the leash," Dean said. "He looked at Murphy's tag that says 'Murphy' and my address, … Then that was the end of the conversation."
Dean said in reports that he signed the summons on Murphy's behalf because his dog can't read. He added that while Murphy's ability to understand court proceedings and help with his defense may become an issue, the canine is looking forward to being tried by a jury of his peers.
"I'm not sure he's competent to take the stand," Dean said. "The other problem is if it went to the jury, they'd have to have dogs on the jury."
