Staffordshire bull terriers that killed pomeranian return to their home in Safety Beach
TWO unregistered dogs that burst through a doggie door of a neighbour’s property and killed a pomeranian have been returned to their Safety Beach home.
Mornington Peninsula Shire last week refused to say whether the killer staffordshire bull terriers would be declared dangerous.
A declaration would mean they would need to be kept in a secure enclosure, wear special collars, and wear muzzles when outside their home.
The owner of the dogs, Nancy Catalano, pleaded guilty in Dromana Magistrates’ Court last month to charges relating to the horrific attack, which was witnessed by the small dog’s owner.
Mornington Peninsula Shire prosecutor Colin McLean told the court the staffordshires escaped their Pickings Rd home about 6pm on August 29 and entered the neighbour’s house through the laundry pet door.
The pomeranian’s owner heard noises, opened the laundry, and was horrified to see her neighbour’s dogs attacking her pet.
“The (owner) made attempts to stop the attack and was screaming,” Mr McLean said.
“Her son then ran to another house for help.”
A male neighbour who ran to the house and saw the attack continuing managed to intervene and return the staffordshires to their own property, then locked the doggie door.
Mr McLean told the magistrate the pomeranian was motionless and severely injured.
The owner rushed her pet to an emergency vet centre, where it received treatment but died after several hours.
Shire officers spoke to Catalano at her house that evening, then seized the dogs.
In an interview several days later, Catalano told officers she had the dogs for several years and was “not sure” why they were unregistered.
Catalano pleaded guilty to two charges each of owning dogs that attacked causing death, dogs being at large, and owning unregistered dogs.
Magistrate Paul Smith heard the Staffordshire bull terriers had not been involved in any other attacks.
He fined Catalano $900 and ordered her to pay council costs of $119.90 and pound fees of $550 as both dogs were seized after the attack.
Ms Catalano paid veterinary costs of more than $3200.
Mornington Peninsula Shire’s manager environment protection David Dobroszczyk said the shire was yet to decide on the future of the dogs.