Owner argues in dog’s defence

The owner of a Queenstown dog classified as dangerous after it allegedly bit a man has told an appeal hearing he doubts it was responsible for the bite.

Addressing a panel of the Queenstown Lakes District Council’s dog control committee yesterday, Thomas Barta said the possibility of his and his wife’s American Staffordshire terrier Milo being put down as a result of the January 10 incident was the "scariest thing".

A council report said the incident occurred on a track running from Lake Hayes Estate’s Red Cottage Dr to the Shotover River, where the victim, Mark Mulholland, was exercising his own dog and Max, a shorthaired pointer owned by his neighbour.

Also on the track was a friend of Mr Barta and his wife, Tomas Braeuer, taking Milo and his own Labrador, Lincoln, for a walk.

Lincoln and Max started fighting, but Mr Braeuer and Mr Mulholland were able to control them when they split apart.

However, as Mr Mulholland held Max by his collar, Milo allegedly lunged at Max and inadvertently bit Mr Mulholland’s hand and wrist.

In a sworn statement, Mr Mulholland said he required surgery in Invercargill for the wounds and had to take seven weeks off work while they healed.

He was lucky to not suffer permanent damage, but had needed medical help for stress and "small panic attacks" after the incident.

Mr Barta told the panel of Crs Penny Clark, Heath Copland and Craig Ferguson he and his wife would have accepted the classification if Milo had behaved aggressively before.

However, the dog had never shown signs of aggression, and he had provided references from Milo’s vet, breeder and a dog psychologist attesting to his dog’s gentle personality.

There was "no clear evidence" Milo was responsible for biting Mr Mulholland, and he believed Max had started the fight with Lincoln.

Max was an anxious, aggressive dog with a "history of serious attacks" on other dogs that had been reported to the council’s dog control team, he said.

The hearings panel reserved its decision.

The council has also recommended prosecuting Mr Braeuer, and charges are expected to be laid under the Dog Control Act.

 

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