A woman whose runaway dog attacked and killed a Labrador outside her Perthshire home has been ordered to pay compensation.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier Zara escaped from its garden and sprang at the passing pet, latching onto its throat.
The dog’s owner and a passing motorist fought for 20 minutes to forcibly remove the Staffy but she broke free and attacked the dog again as it lay lifeless on the ground.
Perth’s Justice of the Peace Court heard how Zara had earlier mauled a sheep at the same spot.
Her owner Helen Brunt, 60, pled guilty to allowing Zara to be dangerously out of control at her home near Tummel Bridge, Kinloch Rannoch, last summer.
The court heard she put Zara to sleep shortly after the distressing incident on June 25.
‘Disturbing’
Brunt, who receives benefits, was ordered to pay the lab’s owners £700 compensation.
She was further fined £150.
JP Allan Robertson told Brunt: “The first time I heard the circumstances of this case was in your absence.
“I was offered sight of photographs of the dog which was deceased but I declined because I had heard enough and what I had had heard was quite disturbing.”
He said: “What is concerning is that this dog of yours previously harmed a sheep by escaping by the same means.
“So it is disturbing to hear it went on to kill this person’s dog.”
Defence agent Billy Somerville explained Zara had escaped through a pipe in his client’s garden.
The court heard warm weather had led to a low water flow, allowing the dog to slip through easily.
Sheep attack
Fiscal depute Stephanie Paterson, prosecuting, described the earlier incident involving a sheep.
“Directly outside the accused’s home address, a witness observed a grey Staffordshire Bull Terrier biting the sheep in the neck.
“They could see blood and the sheep appeared to be barely alive.”
Ms Paterson said: “No other persons were in the area so the witness stopped to try and distract the dog.
“The dog ran off and police were called.”
Later Brunt confirmed that the dog was hers and had escaped from her garden.
Ms Paterson said: “The owner of the sheep did not want to pursue matters in a criminal forum and was happy to settle things privately.”
Struggled to drag Zara away
The prosecutor said the incident with the red Labrador happened at the same spot.
The dog and a second Labrador were being walked by their owner past Brunt’s home.
“He became aware of Zara the Staffordshire Bull Terrier running towards them,” said Ms Paterson.
“The dog immediately bit his red Labrador to the throat and latched on.
“In an attempt to intervene, the witness tried to remove Zara from his Labrador but struggled to pull it away.
“He was also terrified that the dog would turn on him.”
The fiscal depute said his efforts to restrain the dog were hindered because she was not wearing a collar.
A passer-by stopped to help and the two men managed to drag Zara off but she broke free and attacked the now unconscious lab, biting through its right rear leg.
After struggling for about 20 minutes, Zara’s attention turned to the other Labrador and tried to bite it, before running off into nearby trees.
Ms Paterson said the dead dog suffered a neck wound “about the depth of an index finger”.
When Brunt was spoken to by police she told them: “That’ll be Zara.”
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