Onlookers rushed to a family’s aid when their pet Dachshund was mauled by an American bully in Stirling city centre.
Onlookers tried to prise the dog’s jaws from around the smaller animal as its owners – who were on holiday in the area – helplessly looked on.
The city’s sheriff court heard Michael Myles – the partner of its owner – had left the dog tied up outside a shop before it broke free.
Just weeks later the dog went on the rampage again in Dunblane.
It got away from the home of owner Frances Robertson and attacked a neighbour’s Rottweiler in a nearby garden.
The woman suffered bite wounds as a result of the attack.
An order has now been made for the dog to be destroyed.
Fiscal depute Lindsay Brooks played footage of both incidents to the court.
In the April 19 2024 Stirling attack, bystanders on Station Road could been seen rushing to try to pull the attacking dog by its back legs.
Ms Brooks said the attack took place in front of the Dachshund’s owner, who was with his wife and young children.
She said: “He describes it as a single bite, clamping down and refusing to let go.
“He tried to support his dog while trying to remove it from the other dog.
“A large number of people attended to assist with separating the dogs.”
She said the dachshund was “very severely injured” and required surgery from a local vet, resulting in a total bill of several thousand pounds.
The dog was then involved in another incident near the couple’s home in Bogside, Dunblane, two months later.
Footage showed the dog jumping a fence to get at a Rottweiler in a neighbour’s garden, with Myles and the Rottweiler’s owner trying to separate them.
Ms Brooks said: “She suffered injuries whilst trying to protect her dog.
“She was bitten on the left and right foot, causing puncture wounds.
“Her Rottweiler was injured as well – there was a veterinary bill of £130.
“The (American Bully) was seized at this point and taken to kennels.”
Following the incidents police investigated whether the dog was an XL Bully but a vet later ruled it was too small to qualify as one of the banned breed.
Solicitor Alastair Ross, defending Myles, said: “The footage shows he was walking the dog about 15 minutes before the incident.
“He went into a shop and left it outside.
“He thought it was secure but clearly that’s not the case and it has escaped.
“Miss Robertson is one of the people trying to help and Mr Myles comes in and gets the dog away but the damage had been done.”
Lisa McGuigan, defence lawyer for Roberson, said: “She says she was given the dog by someone and had had it for approximately a year.
“She had come in with some shopping and as she did so the dog got out.
“My Myles was also in the house and left to assist. She accepts she should have done more to help.”
Myles, 37, admitted permitting the dog to cause injury or danger to a man and his pet on April 19 last year.
Robertson, 31, admitted being the owner of the out-of-control dog in Dunblane on June 23.
Not guilty pleas to charges of allowing the dog to be out of control and to be unmuzzled and off lead at Randolph Hill care home on May 24 were accepted by the Crown.
Condemning Robertson in particular, Sheriff Derek Hamilton told them they should have taken greater care.
He said: “You were well aware this was a dangerous dog and looking at the video on April… you were there.
“You saw it and you knew the dog was out of control.
“The responsibility is on you to make sure it never happens again but it did happen.
“This dog should have been nowhere near the public, given you were unable to control it.
“I don’t think you two grasp how serious this is.”
Sentence was deferred for reports but Robertson was immediately banned from keeping animals for 10 years and the American bully was ordered to be destroyed.
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