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A desperate Australian pet owner has gone on the run with his dog after snatching him from death row when officials ordered the animal to be put down for mauling sheep, police said Friday.
Father-of-two Ron Gilbertson left his family and went on the lam after cutting his pet Staffordshire terrier cross, Max, out of a cage at an animal pound in the South Australian town of Mount Gambier early last week.
Gilbertson went to see his dog for a last time, but instead of saying goodbye, he cut the dog out of his cage with wire clippers.
"After the dog was captured and put in the pound, (Gilbertson) went to visit it, purportedly for the last time," said Andy Stott of Mount Gambier police. "But he cut the cage, took the animal and fled," he told AFP.
The distraught pet lover reportedly resorted to springing the dog after a court refused to overturn the local council's decision to destroy it.
Police were called and a hunt was launched for the pair, which resulted in police locating the fugitives.
"We have found out where he is and he will come in within the next few days to surrender to charges," Stott said.
"He's basically given himself up, so I suggest that he does the right thing and brings the dog with and gets the whole situation over and done with," he added.
Gilbertson faces charges of damaging property and interfering with or removing a seized dog. He could be fined if convicted.
