Irish man, 85, who battled to save his dog Kim from being put down, has died

Donal Rogers died on December 25, Christmas Day, according to multiple animal welfare groups and news outlets.

Rogers' death was first reported on social media by the animal welfare group Northern Ireland’s Voice for the Voiceless.

The group said: “We are sorry to report that Donal Rogers, who came to prominence this year amid a fight to save the life of his dog, Kim, passed away on Christmas Day. He was 85 years old.

“This news has just knocked the wind out of us if we're honest. What a terrible, unnecessary year this gentleman has had - only to have his time with Kim cut so short, a stress that no one needs, never mind an elderly gentleman sitting in his own yard minding his own business with his wee dog.

“Hope you are resting in peace Mr. Rogers, condolences to your family.”

The group later said in an update that Kim “was being looked after very well by the family vet.”

The "Save Kim" campaign was launched earlier this year after it emerged that Kim, a Jack Russell terrier, was set to be put down after she bit a passerby outside Rogers's home in Co Kilkenny in March.

Rogers told Gript.ie how one morning in March, his dog Kim, who has no history of biting, was laying in front of his secluded house when a group of strangers came down the road walking.

Kim "ran out on the road, and she nipped the person on the leg," Rogers said. He says he immediately apologized when the husband of the woman who was nipped came to his door. 

“I offered to take her to hospital,” Rogers said, “but she refused to travel with me.”

The woman was taken to hospital by a neighbor of Rogers and had her wound treated before being sent home. The woman needed stitches for her injury, it later emerged.

Rogers soon after received a court summons in relation to the incident. In subsequent hearings, the woman who was bitten demanded that Kim be destroyed.

Rogers offered to compensate the woman, but the woman refused. An order for Kim to be put down was granted, but was later appealed.

Rogers and Kim's saga exploded in popularity after Gript.ie reported on it over the summer, prompting Co Kerry woman Assumpta Gaffney to launch a Change.org petition in support of Rogers.

"I read it with disgust and then started scrolling through the comments," Gaffney told IrishCentral in July.

"Lots seemed to be asking if there was a petition set up. There wasn’t, so I decided to try and create one. It was much easier than I thought. I shared it to the group where the story was posted and it took off from there."

In October, Judge Karen Fergus granted a stay on the dog's destruction order, much to the delight of Rogers and then the legions of supporters he and Kim had gained.

Rogers was ordered to put dog control measures in place for the stay to become permanent, Gript.ie reported. He was also ordered to pay the woman who was bitten €5,000, along with the woman's costs of about €1,500.

Gaffney's Change.org petition ultimately garnered more than 176,000 signatures in support of Rogers and drew the attention of celebrities Ricky Gervais and Kate Beckinsale. Gaffney closed her online petition in October after the stay was granted on Kim's destruction order.

Rogers said after the stay was put in place that six-year-old Kim was “120 percent.” He was taking her on a walk every day and said the beloved pup “gets treats all the time.”