Dog Board

Man fined for skateboarding dog

A Brighton man has been fined £80 and threatened with legal action for failing to keep his skateboarding dog on a lead.

Jonathan Fell's Lakeland terrier Bodhi has become a familiar sight in the seaside town as he performs his kerbside stunts.

But council officials, who have already threatened Mr Fell with an Asbo, have now fined him after two women tripped over his skateboard.

Mr Fell, 51, a landscape gardener, said: "Bodhi is always under control. He loves skateboarding and is not a criminal.

"It's something that makes people laugh. I never trained him to skateboard, it's just what he loves to do."

A council spokesman said Mr Fell has 14 days to pay up, otherwise he will be forced to appear before magistrates and could face a £1,000 fine.

He said: "We know Bodhiâ s antics are an amusing sight and the dog and spectators appear to enjoy it.

"But when people start getting hurt and we receive complaints we have a legal duty to act. Bodhi remains free to skate in local parks - but not in dog-free areas."

Bodhi has become a YouTube sensation with more than 20,000 followers, and has even appeared in a brief clip on ITV show Britain's Got Talent.