County Derry man fined after dog attacks pregnant woman

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council successfully prosecuted the owner of a dog for offences under the Dog Control (Northern Ireland) Order 1983 at Ballymena Courthouse on 21st September 2022 for a dog attack on a person and a dog attack on another dog.

A guilty plea was entered by Mr Peter Martin, previously from Limavady, for the offences when his Staffordshire Bull Terrier ran out from his front garden and attacked a pregnant lady walking along the footpath with a Cocker Spaniel. 

A fine of £500 was handed down for the offence of a dog attack on a person resulting in a bite on the lip and a fine of £250 for the dog attack on the other dog which required veterinary treatment.

Mr Martin was also ordered to pay court costs together with an offender levy.

Council wishes to remind the public that if you are the person in charge of a dog, then you are responsible for controlling the dog’s behaviour in public.

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If help is needed to train a dog it may be worthwhile contacting a dog trainer.

A dog attack on a person is punishable by up to six months in prison and a maximum fine of £5000. A dog attack on another domestic animal is punishable by a fine of up to £1000.

Council Dog Wardens can impose control conditions on a dog’s licence where certain breaches of the Dogs (NI) Order 1983 have occurred.

A Dog Warden may require a dog to be kept:

• muzzled when in a public place
• under control (which means on a lead held by someone strong enough to restrain the dog) when in a public place
  securely confined in a building, yard, or other enclosure when not under control
• away from any specific place or any type of place
• neutered (if male) within 30 days of the date on which the notice comes into effect
• Failure to observe any control condition imposed and failure to take all reasonable steps to make sure that that the condition is fulfilled, is an offence punishable by a fine of up to £2500.

It is a requirement to inform Council if a dog issued with control conditions is to be sold or given away and to provide the name and address of the person taking ownership of the dog. 

Failure to do so is an offence punishable by a fine of up to £1000.