June Westwood: ‘Camden Council to blame for my dog’s lethal fall’

Published: 12 August, 2010
by TOM FOOT

A DISTRAUGHT dog owner has told how her “gentle giant” German Shepherd plunged five storeys to its death.

June Westwood said she blames Camden Council for the loss of her pet because she spent years pleading with officials to fix what she called “dangerous” windows in her home in Hunter Street, Bloomsbury. 

The 56-year-old said her dog Buddy, 7, would not have jumped out of the window last Wednesday if the changes had been made and that she is now considering legal action.

Ms Westwood said she had only popped out for half an hour, returning to find a horrendous scene on the street outside her flat. 

Buddy lay dead and  police had covered his body with a blanket.   

“There was blood all over the place and I could see his paws coming out from under the blanket. I was screaming and screaming,” she said.  

“I just can’t get it out of my head – the thought of him falling and falling.”

She said her top windows had been jammed shut since she moved in 12 years ago – meaning only the bottom pane could be lifted open.

But she believes the dog spotted a pigeon or a fly and leapt out of the open window.

She added: “This would never have happened if it wasn’t for the windows. 

“It’s dangerous to have the bottom ones open when we’re so high up. It could have been a child.”

The dog had been a stray when it was rescued by an animal hospital and handed on to Ms Westwood. 

Ms Westwood, who lives alone, recalled happy memories of Buddy sniffing about the 

cupboards for food and how he once wolfed down her fish and chip dinner when she wasn’t looking. “We were going to move Southend together,” she said. 

“I wanted to take him swimming in the sea – now the whole thing’s off. He’s dead.”

Ms Westwood got Buddy from the Mayhew Animal Home three months ago. The advert had described the dog as “affable”, having “good manners” and holding “a dislike of cats”.

Neighbours and par­ishioners of the Holy Cross Church in Cromer 

Street have sent messages of condolences and a cross stands by the window in Ms Westwood’s home.

A council spokeswoman offered her sympathy to Ms Westwood, adding there were no plans to fix the windows under the council’s major works scheme.