Owner fined £3,000 for dog attack on woman

The owner of a Japanese Akita dog has been fined £3,000 after it bit a woman.

Ryan Kerr, of Burnside Gardens, was convicted of two charges brought by Derry City and Strabane District Council in his absence.

They were in charge of a dog which attacked a person and failing to comply with a control condition of a dog licence.

The offences were committed on December 17, last year.

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Derry Magistrate’s Court heard the injured party went to post a Christmas card through Kerr’s letterbox. As she did so, the defendant’s daughter opened the front door and the dog ‘leapt out and attacked’ her.

The dog pushed the woman to the ground and she rolled herself into a ball as it bit her.

Kerr’s daughter managed to get the dog off the injured party, who attended hospital for treatment. She received a tetanus injection and the bite marks were dressed.

The incident was reported to the dog warden who made several attempts to speak to Kerr but he refused to engage.

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It was revealed the dog should have been securely confined in a building, yard or enclosure when not under control.

Convicting Kerr, Judge Barney McElholm said he would not recommend that a dog be put down except in serious cases, but said this dog should not be out in public without a muzzle.

He fined the defendant £3,000 ordered him to pay court costs of £80 and legal costs of £50.