NEW ZEALAND -- A pensioner has been left scarred, alone, and terrified after a dog attack in Invercargill, a court has been told.
Invercargill careworker Isabel Poupouare appeared before Judge Mark Callaghan in the Invercargill District Court on Tuesday for sentencing on charges of owning a dog that attacked a person and owning a dog that attacked another dog on June 30.
Poupouare's dog, a Rottweiler, jumped a fence and attacked a poodle cross named Oscar, who died of his injuries, and Oscar's owner, who suffered five puncture wounds to her hand, that required hospital treatment, the court was told.
An impact statement written by the victim was read out in court.
"Nothing could have prepared me for the horror of that day."
The woman described trying to save her dog as she was helpless, screaming, and listening to his screams.
She now had scars on her hand from the bite marks, which affected her ability to do some things, the court was told.
Oscar had been her constant companion while she nursed her husband through terminal illness, she wrote.
She now lived alone, on the pension, and was struggling to deal with distressing recollections, flashbacks, and dreams about the event, the court was told.
Poupouare's lawyer, Scott Williamson, said she had recently taken the dog on, and had been training it, but it had unfortunately got off its collar.
"She of course has lost her pet as well," Williamson said.
Judge Callaghan said he accepted Poupouare had "done everything in respect of this dog".
He ordered her to pay the victim $750 emotional harm reparation and reparation of $732.84 to cover costs.
(Stuff NZ - Nov 8, 2016)
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