On Australia Day a few years ago Tyson came to the defense of his keeper almost with tragic consequences, had the Animal Defenders Office not stepped in.
Loyal friend Tyson, who is inseparable from his keeper
The Animal Defenders Office’s story is about one Aboriginal man and his dog, whom we’ll call ‘Tyson’. Tyson and his keeper are inseparable. His keeper is Aboriginal, and suffers from mental and other health issues.
On Australia Day a few years ago Tyson came to the defense of his keeper who was attacked at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra. For his efforts, Tyson was seized by the authorities and spent a record 15 months in a cold damp windowless cage in the local pound. Tyson’s imprisonment almost came to an early, and tragic, end when his keeper appeared in court in relation to the dog attack several months later, but just as the Court was about to order that Tyson be ‘destroyed’, the ADO’s submissions about Tyson’s good character were put to the Court. After considering the submissions the Court ordered that Tyson not be destroyed.
Tyson’s life may have been saved but he still had to be released from the pound. Several more months passed as the authorities tried to work out what to do with this animal who had narrowly avoided a court ordered death. Eventually the ADO was able to help get Tyson out and back to his distraught keeper. The ADO then helped Tyson’s keeper obtain a dog licence interstate so that these best friends could be reunited permanently… or so it seemed.
A few months later Tyson and his keeper had to move back to the ACT. The ADO is now once again assisting Tyson’s keeper in dealing with local authorities to get a licence to keep his beloved companion here in Canberra. Tyson is very much an emotional support animal for this indigenous man, and ADO volunteers have loved helping to keep man and dog together.
For further information please contact contact@ado.org.au