UNITED KINGDOM -- An illegal pit bull terrier had to have its jaws prised open with a claw hammer after it launched a vicious attack on another dog, a court has been told.
The pit bull’s jaws were clamped on to a spaniel’s head for around 10 minutes during the attack, magistrates at Huntingdon heard.
The spaniel’s owner and a passer-by were bitten when they tried to separate the dogs and the woman who was in charge of the pitbull was also bitten.
It was only when the pit bull’s owner hit the dog with the hammer and prised its jaw open that the spaniel, which suffered numerous puncture wounds, was released.
Miranda Jenner, 40, of Graveley Road, Offord D’Arcy, admitted having a dog which was dangerously out of control in Huntingdon on March 17.
A second charge of possessing a fighting dog was withdrawn.
Jenner, was fined £50 and ordered to pay the spaniel’s owner £185.06 compensation and £50 to the other person who was bitten. She was also ordered to pay a £20 victim surcharge.
Magistrates heard that the pit bull had been put down after the incident.
Claire Hancock, prosecuting, said the spaniel’s owner was walking her pet in Huntingdon when a terrier-type dog appeared and attacked it.
“She said her dog was thrown around like a rag doll,” Miss Hancock said.
The owner called for help and Jenner appeared. Both the spaniel’s owner and another woman were bitten.
Miss Hancock said: “The defendant’s partner managed to prise the dog’s jaws open with a claw hammer he got from a neighbouring home.”
She said the two victims were needed treatment for their injuries, were traumatised and the injured dog also needed vetterinary care.
Miss Hancock said the dog was later found to be a pit bull type, a banned breed.
David Potter, mitigating, said Jenner had done everything she could in her care of the pit bull, which had been insured.
He said Jenner and her partner had rehomed the dog and she had started looking after it when he found he was not allowed to keep a dog at his house. She had not known it was a banned breed.
Mr Potter told the court that the dog had slipped its coat and harness. Jenner looked for it at her partner’s house and then heard the commotion.
He said Jenner, who was adamant that her dog had not caused the bites to the other people and had also been left distressed, had had called the police after the incident and arranged for the dog to be put down.
Mr Potter said: “There was nothing more she could have done in this incident than she did do.”
(Cambridge News - June 4, 2013)
