I Hope It Gets Out Again...

...maybe at a court, this time:

Benson, a pitbull terrier owned by Anthony Stones, was sentenced to be put down earlier this year.

But now, despite being a banned breed, the dog has been given a second chance and will be released from police kennels to its owner.

/facepalm

Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court heard Benson had gone into ‘fight’ mode because he was ‘stressed’, and was otherwise a playful animal with a sound temperament, in the opinion of the expert who examined him.

The fact that the dog nipped rather than ‘clamped on’ to its victims - as it was perfectly capable of doing - was said by Mr Stones’ lawyer to be an example of how the dog did not have a violent character.

Oh, great!

Richard Brigden, representing Mr Stones, said leaving the door open ‘was an error he felt some shame about’.

“He understands now the effect of that error was that members of the public found themselves in a dangerous situation.”

Through no fault of their own.

Sentencing, Judge Bernard Lever said he was prepared to accept it was ‘an isolated aberration on the part of dog and owner’.

But he warned Mr Stones: “If it happens again, Benson is destroyed, and nobody else is to blame.”

Actually, you'll be to blame for any further injuries.