Samuel Leckie was at work when his white male bulldog got out of the yard and attacked the smaller dog in Eureka Street about 11am on September 19.

The Ballarat Magistrates Court was told on Thursday the victim was walking her dog when she felt Leckie’s bulldog push against her thigh.

The bulldog then attacked her dog, holding it in its mouth. A witness said they saw the bulldog shaking the smaller dog while it was in its mouth.

A City of Ballarat prosecutor told the court the bulldog’s owner was no where in sight.

The victim took her dog to the veterinary clinic where it was pronounced dead. The dog had puncture wounds and there was “no opportunity to attempt to save him”, the prosecutor said.

Lecki’s bulldog had only been registered with the City of Ballarat two months before the deadly attack after it was caught wandering the streets.

On July 19, the City of Ballarat received a report of a wandering white bulldog. On arrival, council officers identified the dog had not been registered.

Leckie, who was at work during this first incident, then registered his dog with the City of Ballarat.

After the second incident when the dog was killed, Leckie surrendered his bulldog and it was euthanised. 

Leckie pleaded guilty to four charges stemming from the attack and not registering his dog.

The court was told the automotive apprentice had been given the bulldog because the previous owner could no longer care for it.

His lawyer said Leckie had never owned a dog before, he was living with other people who quite often left the front gate open and he had written a letter of apology to the victim.

She said there was one previous occasion Leckie’s dog was frightened and was aggressive towards another dog.

Magistrate Mark Stratmann told Leckie he was a young man who contributed to the community.

But he said he did not take the appropriate steps to look after a dog with high-level care and educate himself about the dog’s breed.

Leckie was convicted and fined $2000 and ordered to pay $124 court costs.

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