Tania Broughton
CHARGES of “keeping a vicious dog” against Durban art teacher Mary-anne Baasch were dropped yesterday.
“I am so relieved,” she said. “And I am so grateful for all the support”.
Last week, Baasch, 59, was arrested and locked in a cell at the Mayville police station, charged over an incident that occurred more than a year ago in which her dachshund Napoleon bit a security guard.
The dog had escaped from her Manor Gardens property as Baasch was reversing out of her garage and went for the man, “grazing” his leg through his trousers.
Baasch alleges she offered to take him to her doctor, and when he refused, she offered to pay for legitimate expenses.
But the guard seemed unhappy with this and laid a charge with the police.
Out of the blue, last Thursday night, she was arrested and charged with keeping a vicious animal. She alleges that while at the police station, she was kept in a cell and let out only when she objected to sharing it with a male prisoner.
She was served with a notice to appear in court yesterday, but her case was not placed on the roll after a prosecutor perused the docket.
Baasch says she is considering suing the police for unlawful arrest.