A dog declared dangerous by the City of Mandurah will have its life spared as long as its owner complies with her responsibilities, the local court heard on Friday.
Tanya Barnett pleaded guilty in Mandurah Magistrates Court to having control of a dog which attacked a Falcon man on October 7, 2015.
Barnett also pleaded guilty to failing to ensure her dog was muzzled and wearing an appropriate dog collar, both requirements of owning a dangerous dog.
The court heard Barnett had been walking the staffordshire terrier cross about 11pm when the dog attacked a neighbour.
The attack left the victim with bruising and a puncture wound in his stomach.
The dog, which had been declared dangerous following a previous attack, was without its muzzle and collar, as its owner believed nobody would be walking around late at night.
Magistrate Vivien Edwards referred to this as an “attitude which shows arrogance and disregard for the law”.
“I don’t know how your client could assume nobody would be around,” she told Barnett’s lawyer.
Counsel for Barnett said the dog was “protecting its mistress” following a “two-way” altercation with the victim.
The dog was described as a family pet.
The court heard it was good with children and regularly played with the accused’s young relatives.
The maximum penalty for having control of a dog which attacks is $20,000.
For not fitting a dangerous dog with a muzzle and a collar, the maximum penalty is $10,000.
The City of Mandurah prosecutor pushed for an immediate order for the destruction of the dog.
But Magistrate Edwards suspended the order, allowing the dog to live as long as it was muzzled and collared.
If the dangerous dog requirements were not met, she said a City ranger was authorised to seize the animal and have it destroyed within 24 hours.
Barnett was fined $3000 for the offences and ordered to pay court costs of $1293.60.