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Dangerous dog must be muzzled in public

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A dog which bit a man without provocation must be muzzled at all times in public and must also be neutered, a court has ruled.

The person walking the dog, Jordan Caunce, 20, of Great Meadow, Astley Village, pleaded guilty at Chorley Magistrates’ Court to an offence of being in charge of a dangerous dog in a prosecution brought by Chorley Council.

He was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £250 compensation to the man who suffered three puncture wounds to his leg. He also had to pay £720 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

The court was told that Caunce was walking two Japanese Akita cross German Shepherd dogs, owned by his father, on a lead near to Buckshaw Primary School when one of them lunged at a man who was walking past on his way to pick up his stepson from the school. The dog bit his thigh drawing blood and ripping his jeans.

He arranged for someone else to pick up his stepson and he instead went to hospital where he received a tetanus injection and a course of antibiotics.

Caunce apologised to the man and said the dog had never done that before. When interviewed later, Caunce said that the man had done nothing to provoke the dogs and he admitted they were ‘excited’ at the time.

He pleaded guilty to the charge at court on 30 April, 2015, however the case was adjourned until Thursday 11 June 2015 for his solicitor to convince the court the dog was not a danger to public safety and so did not need to be destroyed.

The court made a contingent destruction order which means that if the dog is neutered and kept muzzled when in public places, the destruction order is ‘suspended’.

Councillor Paul Walmsley, who oversees community safety for Chorley Council, said: “Whilst there were some control measures in place in that the dog was on a lead, the owner was clearly not in total control of his pet and it resulted in a man who was just walking past, being injured.

“We spend a lot of our resources on trying to educate dog owners to take responsibility for their dogs by picking up after them when they foul, and ensuring they are under close control at all times. This dog was clearly dangerously out of control in a public place which led to this prosecution.”

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