Harry the hound "cautioned"

The black labrador/collie, known to his friends as Harry the Handsome Hound, felt the full force of the law on Friday morning when he was stopped, asked his name and address, and cautioned for "bad behaviour".

Owner Samantha Fay said: "We are paying too much council tax if our policemen are questioning dogs."

Her fianc, David Westwood, was out walking three-year-old Harry when he took a fancy to the pot.A shop worker called the police and demanded charges be pressed against the animal.

Harry was asked his name and address, helpfully translated by David, and then given a caution.

"David was told he had to pay 15 towards the cost of the pot. He's going to take it out of Harry's pocket money '“ 1 a week for the next 15 weeks," Samantha said. "When he told me what happened I thought he was winding me up.He told me he asked the policeman whether he was being cautioned or the dog.

"The policeman said to him: 'the dog's the one that did it. The dog is the one getting the caution'."

Samantha, who lives with David in Littlehampton, added: "My dog is trained not to pee on things and I don't condone this but the pot was put on the public pavement.

"If shop owners are silly enough to put things on the floor then they expose them to the elements."

A police spokeswoman said the incident was a civil

matter, no criminal offences had been committed and no further action was being taken. Harry declined to comment.