UNITED KINGDOM -- Anthony Silvester pleaded guilty to two counts of allowing his rotweillers to be dangerously out of control in a public place when he appeared at Worcester Magistrates Court.
Louise Mead, prosecuting, said that the dogs – Troy and Aragon – attacked Helen Phillips’ Jack Russell Rocky as she walked with him and two other terriers on the lane outside 69-year-old Silvester’s farm near Powers, Ombersley, on Friday, July 1.
As Ms Phillips passed the gate to the farm, she saw Silvester coming down the drive with his two dogs, which both “charged” down to the lane through the open gate and began attacking Rocky.
Silvester managed to call one off, but had to come down and take the other one by the collar to stop the attack which left Rocky with puncture wounds to his backside and Ms Phillips with a bruised shin.
Ms Phillips retreated to a grass verge with her dogs, where she saw Silvester stroking one of the dogs.
She said: “Look at you, you are rewarding him for attacking my dog.”
To which Silvester replied: “I am just getting my breath back.”
Ms Phillips then told him he did not have the strength to deal with such strong dogs.
She later took Rocky to the vet, which cost her £118.30.
Silvester’s dogs had previously been involved in another incident near the house, when the dogs escaped through the hedge and attacked a dog.
Silvester installed a wire mesh fence to prevent it happening again.
Simon Deeley, defending, said his client walked the seven-year-old dogs – who are kept as pets – on his land three times a day without leads and there had never been any incidents.
“The problems have arisen a Silvester’s home rather than when out walking,” he said. “They are territorial.” He suggested a second gate be installed to stop them escaping rather than them be destroyed.
But magistrates ordered Silvester back to court on Monday, October 3, when a final decision would be made about whether or not to put the dogs down.
In the meantime, Silvester was to install a gate, make sure his property was secure and keep the dogs on a lead and muzzled when not in the secure area.
Police would then visit the farm to make sure that their orders were put in place before the hearing.
Chairman of the bench, Lynn Brown said: “At present we are very concerned you are not able to control these dogs.”
(Worcester News - Sept 1, 2011)
