Dog owner fined £80 after attack which killed pet

A woman whose dog died after being attacked by a German Shepherd says an £80 court fine for the owner is "a joke".

The larger animal grabbed Pom-Pom, a Pomeranian, with his teeth, and shook him around on a street in Stevenage, Hertfordshire.

Robert Eddy, 34, from Exeter Close in the town, was sentenced at Stevenage Magistrates' Court after admitting being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control.

Pom-Pom's owner, Joanna Wade, said the law should take injuries to dogs more seriously.

"The fine [is] roughly the same as your average parking fine," said Wade.

"Everyone, I think, will agree with me it's a joke."

The court heard Pom-Pom was being walked home by a friend of his owner in February when Dino the German Shepherd, which was not on a lead, attacked him.

Prosecuting solicitor Sara Brophy said Pom-Pom was taken to a vet where, after initially appearing to recover, his condition worsened and he died.

The police took Dino to secure kennels where experts studied his behaviour by carrying out various tests.

He remained calm during the tests, although the court heard he was sometimes known to react badly to other dogs.

Tariq Iqbal, for Eddy, said Dino may have escaped from his house when another resident left a door open.

Eddy was also ordered to pay a £32 victim surcharge, £85 towards prosecution costs, and told to pay the £1,900 bill for the dog's stay in secure kennels.

Magistrates ordered the destruction of the dog, but it will not be activated if Dino is always muzzled and on a lead in public, and neutered within 30 days.

The maximum sentence for allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control is six months in prison, if no person is injured.

Wade said these conditions were "what common sense" tells "every responsible dog owner, so I don't think that's any punishment".

She was disappointed magistrates did not make an order stopping Eddy owning pets.

Since Pom-Pom's death, Wade has campaigned for a new law requiring dogs to be kept on leads in public.

After the hearing, she said the law needed to stop treating dogs as property because "you cannot compare losing a dog the same as losing your car - the emotional damage is almost as great as losing a member of the family".

There is no legislation requiring dogs to be kept on leads in public, although some councils have imposed restrictions in specific areas.

The Dogs Trust believes keeping dogs on leads at all times can result in "poorer health and welfare for dogs, if they aren't getting enough off-lead exercise".

As the debates continue, pet owners including Wade are left to mourn the death of a much-loved member of the family.

She said: "Every little effort we did to make sure we're going to get justice for Pom-Pom didn't really work.

"We're still grieving deeply and you know nothing is going to replace our little fluff ball."

Do you have a story suggestion for Beds, Herts or Bucks? Contact us below.

Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.