A woman has told a court how she watched in horror as her “beloved pup” was savaged to death by two larger dogs.
Yvonne McPhee wept as she recalled how her Shih Tzu called Kai was thrown about “like a rag doll” after being pounced on by two bull-type dogs in Kinross.
The 71-year-old said: “I have never experienced grief like it”.
Ms McPhee gave evidence on day one of the trial of Alistair MacDonald, who is accused of allowing the dogs to be “dangerously out of control” on October 20 last year.
The 29-year-old is said to be the owner of two Staffy-types called Kushka and Zeus, and an American Bulldog named Baxter.
It is alleged that Kushka, Zeus and Baxter attacked and killed Kai in Burns-Begg Street, while Ms McPhee was pulled and dragged along the ground.
Prosecutors also alleged that Kushka and Zeus also repeatedly bit two German pointer dogs, Hugo and Molly, on the same date.
MacDonald, of Burns-Begg Street, denies all charges.
Screaming for help
Ms McPhee said she had collected Kai from kennels after returning from a business trip.
“This was his first walk in Kinross since I came back,” she said.
“I just took him out for a sniff around.”
Ms McPhee told the trial at Perth Sheriff Court: “He was lovely wee dog. He was my beloved pup.”
The court heard Ms McPhee was walking home at around midday when she saw two large bull-type dogs off their leads.
“Before I could even turn around, both dogs locked onto Kai,” she said.
“Kai didn’t even get a chance to bark.”
Ms McPhee said the dogs had locked their jaws around her pet’s neck.
“Obviously, I was screaming for help,” she said. “I was trying to get them to disconnect.”
She said she sounded a “pet corrector” noise maker, but it had no effect.
Ms McPhee said she was dragged to the ground twice as she held onto her dog’s lead.
She also saw two other dogs running out of the front door a nearby house.
Police then arrived on the scene and used batons to break up the dogs.
Flashbacks
“It was chaos,” she said. “It was like something out of a bad movie with all these police running about.”
She said she saw Kai “lying limp” on the pavement.
“He had just been flung about like a rag doll,” she said.
“I just hope when Kai went, it was at the first point of contact.
“I didn’t even get a chance to touch him, because he was evidence by that point.”
Weeping, she said: “Kai was my first wee dog. He was with me 24/7.
“The impact has been emotional. I’m still not sleeping, I’m still not eating.
“I keep getting flashbacks. It’s not getting any easier.”
She added: “I have never experienced grief like it.”
Tried to kick dog
Burns-Begg Street resident Sean Menzies, 43, said he saw “muscle” dogs on the street, attacking a smaller dog outside his home.
Mr Menzies, who managed to capture some of the incident on camera, said the small pet’s owner was “traumatized” and screaming.
“I kicked one of the dogs twice,” he said. “It wouldn’t budge.
“Then the police arrived and started hitting it with batons.”
Mr Menzies was shown an image of Kai lying on the street and confirmed that was animal he saw “lifeless” on the ground.
Ear partially ripped off
David Mcilroy told the trial he was walking pointers dogs Hugo and Molly down Kinross High Street, with his wife, at about 2.30pm.
He said three dogs suddenly ran across the road towards them.
One dog went for Hugo, biting his head and ear and leaving him with puncture marks on his neck.
“He was just taking it,” Mr Mcilroy said. “He wasn’t fighting back.”
Two other dogs went for 10-year-old Molly, Hugo’s mum.
She suffered wounds to her neck and her ear was partially ripped off, the witness said.
The court heard how other people ran out to help and took the injured dogs into the nearby Salutation Bar, slamming the door behind them.
Mr Mcilroy said a community fundraiser helped pay his £1,180 vet bill.
He said that Molly, who he had been looking after for a family member, died just before Christmas of an unrelated health condition.
CCTV of the High Street incident was played in court.
Asked by fiscal depute Stephanie Paterson if anyone was able to bring the dogs under control, Mr Mcilroy said: “The attacking dogs? No. There were no collars so it was impossible.”
He said his wife since refused to walk down the high street.
The trial before Sheriff William Wood continues next month.
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