Boy 'very distressed' after his Maltese puppy mauled to death by Great Dane

AUSTRALIA -- A BOY was left distressed when his puppy died after an alleged encounter with a great dane while walking in Bowen on Sunday.

Canobolas Local Area Command duty officer Bruce Grassick said the boy was walking the young Maltese terrier at around 12.30pm in Algona Crescent when a great dane left its yard, resulting in the death of the puppy.

Inspector Grassick said police are investigating the situation and it’s unclear how the injuries occurred.

“The boy was very distressed by the incident,” Inspector Grassick said.

“Police will be consulting with Orange City Council in relation to what action will be taken. There may be an investigation by police or council, who will definitely be consulted.”

Council spokesperson Nick Redmond said council staff were not aware of the specific incident but depending on the situation and the severity of the attack, there are a number of different outcomes.

“These include the voluntary surrender of the dog, which will be put down,” Mr Redmond said.

“If the owner wants to keep the dog, the owner may face significant fines and the dog can be formally declared menacing or dangerous. These categories require a dog to be kept in proscribed cages and wear a muzzle.”

(Central Western Daily - Mar 4, 2015)