Woman bitten by her own dog as pet was attacked by two others

A woman was bitten by her own dog, necessitating hospital treatment, as she tried to force two American bull dog types to let go of her pet beagle Guinness, a court has heard.

Claire Bainbridge, 42, of Brewster Road, Boston admitted charges of owning two dogs that were dangerously out of control, when she appeared at Boston Magistrates Court yesterday (Wednesday).

Marie Stace, prosecuting, said Amy Trigg was taking her pet beagle Guinness for a walk on the Haven Bank at around 6pm on August 5 when she came across two women, one of whom was Ms Bainbridge, and a man, with three dogs on short leads.

She said Ms Trigg pulled her own dog onto a short lead but it barked at the other two dogs who immediately attacked him, one of them holding Guinness’ back leg while the other bit him in the chest and shoulder.

Ms Stace said it took kicks from the male companion of Ms Bainbridge as well as Ms Trigg herself hitting him before the dogs eventually let go, during which she was bitten by her own dog.

Her dog was taken to the vet and received more than £700 worth of treatment to a bad injury to the groin, the court heard, and Ms Trigg herself was hospitalised for four days and had to have surgery which kept her off work for two weeks.

The dog took several weeks to recover, said Ms Stace.

She said Ms Trigg felt she had let her dog down and now avoided walking him if she could.

In mitigation, Gareth Hawden said both Ms Bainbridge’s dogs – Ruby and Cyrus – were on leads, and there had been an immediate attempt to control them.

He said Ms Bainbridge, who had owned dozens of dogs in her life, was mortified by what had happened but that the dogs, which are six and seven years old, had not been involved in any previous incidents of that type.

Ms Bainbridge believed her dogs attacked Guiness because they believed he was going to attack her daughter, he said.

The magistrates said they were satisfied the dogs were not a danger to the general public and issued a contingent destruction order that they be muzzled and on a lead at all times when out in public.

Ms Bainbridge was ordered to pay £701 in compensation for the vet bills and £100 to Ms Trigg, as well as a fine of £230 and £115 in costs and charges.