Dog owner forced to change names

A DOG owner in Meurthe-et-Moselle has given in to pressure from his local mayor - and after months of wrangling has decided not to name his American Staffordshire Terriers “Itler” and “Iva”.

In September 2014, the mayor of the small town of Saint-Nicolas-de-Port refused to sign a licence for the two animals. Speaking at the time, Luc Binsinger said: “I don’t want to sign … ‘Itler’ and ‘Iva’ make you think of Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun, a dubious play on words.

“I have written to the local prefect to ask him what I can do. In the meantime, I’m not signing.”

Mr Binsinger also told AFP that he believed the animals’ owner was a local National Front official.

The story sparked outrage in France at the time, and even made headlines abroad.

The dogs, which fall under the dangerous dogs category, must be registered with the local authority - but Mr Binsinger refused to sign the licence on the “question of principle”.

Their owner has now submitted a new licence request bearing the names "Ilisas Es" and "Isio 4".

Photo: T Bjornstad / Wikimedia Commons