UNITED KINGDOM -- A fighting dog which tore a family pet ‘to pieces’ in a Mansfield park as a woman tried to protect her nine-month-old granddaughter, has been ordered to be destroyed.
Magistrates in Mansfield made the decision after hearing how the vicious pit bull-type animal targeted the family pet and caused ‘life-threatening’ injuries that have so far cost the owner more than £1,336 in vets bills.
The dog owner, Rio Kianne Norris (20) of Charlesworth Court, Mansfield Woodhouse, admitted a charge of possessing a fighting dog and being in charge of a dangerous dog that was out of control.
The court was told how a woman had been pushing her granddaughter in a pushchair through the park, while walking the family Japanese spitz dog on a lead.
Outlining the case the prosecution, Ruth Snodin, said the woman then saw three dogs running loose, one of them being the grey pit bull dog.
It then ran over and clamped its jaws around the spitz as the grandmother pushed the pushchair out of the way to protect the baby, before screaming for help.
She said Norris stood there ‘without a care in the world’ before Norris’ sister attempted to restrain the pit bull, using kicks, punches and a metal chain.
The dog was rushed to the vets with bites, lacerations, haemorrhaging and puncture wounds to the stomach.
The court was also told that Norris had shown no remorse since the attack, which had left the grandmother traumatised.
Norris had even taken to Facebook and ‘liked’ remarks against having dangerous dogs put down, which Mrs Snodin described as being ‘insensitive’.
Mrs Snodin added: “There’s a real lack of remorse, she seems more concerned about getting her dog back.”
Defending, Donna Pursglove, said Norris had the put bull, named Bailey, for three years and had never been aggressive towards others before.
She said that the dog was usually kept on a lead but that day had escaped from her sister’s house, along with the other two dogs that had been running lose.
She said Norris was also ‘distraught’ when she was shown photographs the injuries Bailey had caused, adding: “It was a very horrible incident and Miss Norris accepts that.”
Norris was given 120 hours community service and banned from keeping a dog for five years.
She was also ordered to pay out £880 in compensation.
She left the court in tears after the magistrates told her the dog was to be destroyed.
(Mansfield Chad - Feb 27, 2015)
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