A mother-of-three displayed ‘an incredible amount of stupidity' in letting a ‘dangerous breed' of dog savage a man on a mobility scooter and his pet, a magistrate said.
Skye Georgina James, 27, pleaded guilty in February to allowing her American Staffordshire Terrier named Shadow attack mobility scooter rider Shane Stein and his dog Scooby last January in the south-east Queensland town of Ipswich.
The court viewed CCTV footage which showed the black figure of Shadow running into the street to attack Scooby while Mr Stein, Ms James, her mother, and other unidentified local residents repeatedly tried to halt the vicious fight.
Skye Georgina James, 27, pleaded guilty in February to allowing her American Staffordshire Terrier named Shadow attack mobility scooter rider Shane Stein and his dog Scooby last January in the south-east Queensland town of Ipswich
At one stage Mr Stein was forced off his mobility scooter, while Ms James, who was the third person on the scene, pulls and slaps at Shadow but is unable to wrench him away from the other dog.
Eventually with the aid of more local residents – one of them wielding a garden hose – the animals are finally pulled apart.
As the footage was shown Ms James turned her head away tearfully, the Courier Mail reported.
Mr Stein sustained lacerations to his arm and fingers on the day while Scooby suffered a puncture wound to the chest.
Acting Magistrate Paul Byrne said the footage showed an ‘incredible display of incompetence' with no one seeming to ‘have a clue what they were doing.'
Defence lawyer Chris O'Neill argued that Ms James did her ‘incompetent best' but was a single mother who was expecting her third child at the time of the incident.
Ms James had only taken Shadow under her wing when the previous owner became unable to care for the dog anymore.
The dog, which had never previously shown such aggression, escaped the house when Ms James' mother left the door ajar while taking out the bins.
As Ms James didn't have the money to pay for measures the council suggested were necessary to house Shadow securely, the animal had to be put down.
In fining Ms James $4,000, along with additional fines for court costs, Magistrate Byrne said she had shown ‘chronic negligence' in bringing a ‘renowned dangerous breed' into her home with young children.
‘What I saw on the screen was terrifying, and you know that,' Mr Byrne told Ms James.
‘This was something waiting to happen … There was an incredible amount of stupidity on you taking on the responsibility of that dog in any circumstances.'
Acting Magistrate Paul Byrne said the footage showed an ‘incredible display of incompetence' with no one seeming to ‘h ave a clue what they were doing.'
He also said as Ms James had grown up with Staffies she should have known how potentially dangerous they are.
The magistrate concluded Ms James had shown ‘foolish naivety' but this had led to ‘gross negligence' even if there was no malign intent.
Mr Stein told The Queensland Times that he and Scooby have both recovered well since the attack.
‘Thanks to all who have contributed to the wellbeing of Scooby,' Mr Stein said.
He said he was sorry to hear Shadow had been put down but that there needed to be stricter laws around dog attacks.
