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Impotent ostrich holds up court
12/03/2007 19:50 - (SA)
Berlin - A German court was forced on Monday to postpone the end of a civil case featuring Gustav the ostrich whose owner claims was made impotent by firecrackers thrown into his enclosure.
The court in the eastern town of Bautzen had hoped to find an agreement between the owner and three teenagers suspected of throwing the fireworks in 2005, but talks broke down on Monday, a spokesperson said.
A veterinary expert has been called to testify to the court at the next hearing on June 4.
Gustav's owner is claiming €5 :050 euros in damages, which he says corresponds to the 14 chicks the bird would have fathered in spring 2006.
The three teenagers deny throwing the fireworks but admit lobbing pieces of rubber at the ostrich.
They have already agreed to do work on the farm as punishment but the two sides failed to reach agreement on the number of hours - the farm owner says they must do 80 hours each, while the teenagers have set a ceiling of 40.
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South Africa
