'It's Not The Dog, It's The Owner!'

An XL Bully dog in Bolton could be destroyed after it got into a fight with a similar dog.

...well, in this case, it does seem to be the owner as well.  

The rules changed on the breed of animal in February this year, meaning owners were ordered to muzzle them in public and have insurance for them. But Bolton man Gareth Everett failed to apply these rules to his dog named Menace, Bolton Magistrates' Court heard.

I very much doubt he's the only one. So this is yet another non-starter that would merely cause an extra burden to responsible owners while scofflaws ignore it like they ignore everything else.  

The court was told his dog attacked another XL Bully after leaving his home in March this year. A woman took her XL Bully, which was registered properly, and tied it upside outside the Best One store on Morris Green Lane in the town.Julia Draper, prosecuting, said:

“The defendant’s dog, called Menace, attacked the woman’s dog for minutes rather than seconds.“Eventually a lead was used to loop around the dog and separate it.

“The defendant had been notified his dog was out and had caused a problem at the shop.”

Who'd expect that behaviour from a dog named 'Menace'?  

The prosecutor also said there would be an application for the “forfeiture and destruction” of the dog to come under the Dangerous Dogs Act. She added that there would be an application for compensation to the woman who owned the other dog but it was unclear what the veterinary bill was at this stage.

Chair of the bench Joanne Halliday adjourned the case to next month. She said: “You are going to see probation and a report is going to be done. “A decision will be made over the forfeiture and destruction of the dog.”

Let's hope they come to the right one. It'll make a nice change.  

H/T: SamBrowfan via Twitter