Vu Ho has lost a Supreme Court battle to keep his beloved pet Baa the sheep at his Springvale property.
Mechanic Vu Ho took his fight to keep Baa to the highest court in Victoria after the City of Greater Dandenong ordered him to remove it from his property.
Mr Ho has kept the pet at his workshop and in the backyard of his nearby home for over a decade.
He launched the latest appeal after the Supreme Court last year rejected a bid by Mr Ho to quash a local law that prohibited the keeping of livestock.
But the Court of Appeal today dismissed the appeal finding that each of Mr Ho's grounds of appeal had failed.
Despite the loss, the latest in a long line of legal battles he has fought to save Baa, Mr Ho said he still had faith he would ultimately win.
"God is on my side," he said.
Mr Ho has previously flagged a High Court challenge.
The fight to save Baa has been a legal challenge of epic proportions for the Vietnamese refugee with an almost non-existent knowledge of Victoria's legal system.
He single-handedly launched the appeal for the right to keep his pet after lawyers refused to fight the case.
Mr Ho said he had been unsuccessful in obtaining legal aid but would continue to fight despite mounting legal bills.
Greater Dandenong Mayor Angela Long said the council was pleased the Supreme Court had "confirmed the integrity of council's local laws".
"Council did not initiate any legal action ... it is Mr Ho who has chosen to take Greater Dandenong City Council to court when he has always been made aware there were other reasonable and far cheaper options available to him," Cr Long said..
"Council has shown its concern for Baa the sheep and for Mr Ho's future welfare through offering on numerous occasions to help find a suitable location for Baa the sheep and suggesting other actions which would not place Mr Ho's future in such financial jeopardy.
"This offer of assistance was reiterated at this week's court proceedings."
Cr Long said the council sought to have Mr Ho pay the court costs because "ratepayers should not bear the cost of responding to a court matter which was entirely unnecessary and unwarranted"
She said the council would continue to seek to get the best outcome for Baa the sheep.
Read more: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/breaking-news/springvale-mechanic-vu-ho8217s-sheep-baa-has-to-go/story-e6frfkp9-1226670935438#ixzz2Xe0elDH4
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