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| Heseltine: I did not kill my mother's Alsatian | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Lord Heseltine says it was a "terrible misrepresentation" to say he killed his mother's pet dog, an Alsatian called Kim, after it started biting him. | |
| He told Tatler magazine he had grabbed the dog by his "choker chain - and pulled it tight" until "he went limp", after the pet's "mental breakdown". | |
| But the ex-Deputy Prime Minister has since told the BBC Kim then "reverted to being the dog we all knew". | |
| They then had a "terrible dilemma" but "put him down the next day". | |
| Speaking to BBC Radio 4's PM programme, Lord Heseltine said he had been minding the dog one day in 1964 when it appeared to have a problem with its paw. | |
| He said when he reached down to help, "the dog flew at me... on his hind legs". | |
| 'No choice' | |
| "I immediately got out of my chair and there was a certain amount of blood as he was biting my wrists. I shouted to my wife to get out of the room as she was heavily pregnant at the time. | |
| "I managed to catch the choker chain that was around his neck and twisting that, obviously got a grip on the dog. | |
| "After - it all seemed so long in the event but it probably wasn't more than 15 seconds - he went quite limp and reverted to being the dog we all knew and loved." | |
| Lord Heseltine said the incident had left him with a "most awful dilemma" about what to do with Kim. | |
| "We had to talk to the vet," he said. "There isn't any choice. Frankly, you cannot have your wife left alone in a flat or my mother when she came back with an Alsatian that can go berserk." | |
| In 1990, when he was running to be leader of the Conservative Party, the Observer newspaper mentioned a "'killing-of-the-dog story', in which Heseltine allegedly strangled his own pet at a party", but this was dismissed by one of his biographers as "journalists' exaggeration". | In 1990, when he was running to be leader of the Conservative Party, the Observer newspaper mentioned a "'killing-of-the-dog story', in which Heseltine allegedly strangled his own pet at a party", but this was dismissed by one of his biographers as "journalists' exaggeration". |
| Asked about a similar rumour, in which he was said to have killed a dog with his bare hands after it attacked a child, Lord Heseltine told Tatler: "Ah, I can tell you what that was. That was my mother's Alsatian, Kim. I went to stroke him and he started biting me, [pointing to his body] here and here." | Asked about a similar rumour, in which he was said to have killed a dog with his bare hands after it attacked a child, Lord Heseltine told Tatler: "Ah, I can tell you what that was. That was my mother's Alsatian, Kim. I went to stroke him and he started biting me, [pointing to his body] here and here." |
| He said: "If you have a dog that turns, you just cannot risk it. So I took Kim's collar - a sort of choker chain - and pulled it tight. Suddenly he went limp | He said: "If you have a dog that turns, you just cannot risk it. So I took Kim's collar - a sort of choker chain - and pulled it tight. Suddenly he went limp |
| "I was devoted to Kim, but he'd obviously had some sort of mental breakdown. There was no choice." | "I was devoted to Kim, but he'd obviously had some sort of mental breakdown. There was no choice." |
| Tatler says Lord Heseltine's wife, Lady Heseltine, added: "Beautiful dog. Huge, with a great thick coat." | Tatler says Lord Heseltine's wife, Lady Heseltine, added: "Beautiful dog. Huge, with a great thick coat." |
| Shot squirrels | Shot squirrels |
| An RSPCA spokesman said the organisation "can only investigate and prosecute summary-only offences - like those under the Animal Welfare Act - within three years of that alleged offence being committed". | An RSPCA spokesman said the organisation "can only investigate and prosecute summary-only offences - like those under the Animal Welfare Act - within three years of that alleged offence being committed". |
| "Therefore, in this instance, we are not able to look any further into this matter," he said. | "Therefore, in this instance, we are not able to look any further into this matter," he said. |
| "There is no rule that says a dog should automatically be put to sleep if it bites someone. | "There is no rule that says a dog should automatically be put to sleep if it bites someone. |
| "If you are concerned about your dog's behaviour, the RSPCA would advise that you seek expert advice. | "If you are concerned about your dog's behaviour, the RSPCA would advise that you seek expert advice. |
| "It is important to get your pet checked by a vet, as the dog may have become aggressive due to being in pain. | "It is important to get your pet checked by a vet, as the dog may have become aggressive due to being in pain. |
| "If a vet rules out any form of illness or injury that could be causing the issue, they can then refer you to a behaviour expert for further help." | "If a vet rules out any form of illness or injury that could be causing the issue, they can then refer you to a behaviour expert for further help." |
| Earlier this month, Lord Heseltine revealed he had shot 350 grey squirrels in a month at his home in Northamptonshire. | Earlier this month, Lord Heseltine revealed he had shot 350 grey squirrels in a month at his home in Northamptonshire. |
| The 83-year-old was deputy prime minister from 1995 to 1997, having previously served as defence secretary, environment secretary and president of the Board of Trade. |