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| Martin Vining |
Martin Vining, 41, pleaded guilty in 8th District Court to civil violations of having a dog-at-large, having an unlicensed dog and being owner/keeper of a dangerous dog, Animal Control Officer Wayne Atwood said Friday.
Vining was ordered to pay $450 in restitution, a $100 fine for the unlicensed dog violation and a $250 fine for the dangerous dog violation, Livermore Falls police administrative assistant Amanda Leclerc said.
The judge ordered that the dog be euthanized by Wednesday, Nov. 24, and ordered a copy of the euthanization papers to be sent to the Androscoggin County District Attorney's Office by Tuesday, Nov. 30, Atwood said.
Vining was not available for comment Friday.
“On Nov. 16 justice was carried out for the death of our beloved Jack,” owner Bethany Miller of Livermore Falls said Friday. “It is my hope that our town will be a safer place to be because of Jack's story. We would like to thank the Livermore Falls police, Mr. Atwood and the District Attorney's Office for the respectful way they handled our case. I feel bad for Mr. Vining and Hooch but the public's safety had to come first.”
Jack was Miller's therapy dog. She said previously that she and her family were devastated when Jack, 4, was killed. She had planned at the time to get counseling for her children, ages 14 to 19, who had to watch the attack. Attempts made to separate the dogs were unsuccessful and the smaller dog died during the [attack].
Miller's biggest concern then was that she didn't want to see anybody else get hurt by the larger dog.
Hooch had also attacked a mailman in 2007. Vining was charged then with owning a dangerous dog.
Miller’s children and Jack were returning from a walk at the Livermore Falls Recreation Field and were about a half-mile from home when Hooch came around a corner near Vining's home.
Her son, Kyle Wilson, 19, said previously that Hooch gave his younger brother, Jordan Gill, 14, a look and Jack took a step toward the larger dog, and Hooch attacked it.
Vining said previously that he was outside burying another of his dogs that had been hit by a vehicle and had to be put down. Hooch was not on a leash at the time but was initially with Vining and a friend in the yard.
"Nothing was done on purpose," Vining said at the time. He didn't know why Hooch went after the smaller dog, he said, but he knew Hooch, who was 9 [years old] at the time, didn't get along with Jack.
(Sun Journal - Nov 20, 2010)
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