Two runners suffer dog bite in attacks, court hears

Brad Gill, 40, owns two mastiff type dogs, one of which was classified as a menacing dog after it bit a person in July 2018.

A prosecutor for Golden Plains Shire Council said a 17-year-old girl was running on School Lane in Cambrian Hill in July 2019 when she heard dogs barking from a property with open gates.

The court heard two dogs came running towards the girl, she stood still and put her hands out to allow the dogs to sniff her.

One of the dogs then bit her on the forearm, causing pain and both dogs kept circling and jumping at her.

The victim managed to move 50 metres away from the property and the dogs stopped and returned to the house.

The court heard a second incident occurred in October when a woman was out for a run and the two dogs ran through open gates.

The dogs chased the woman down the road and one dog bit her on the buttock, causing bleeding and a puncture wound that required medical attention.

Defence lawyer Clare Moss said the biting dog had a history of abuse and Gill and his family had put a lot of work into trying to bond with and train the dog.

"He accepts there is still more work to be done," she said.

Ms Moss said the gate at the Cambrian Hill property was not sturdy, but since the incidents the family had moved to live with their parents in Enfield which has two fences around the house and CCTV and sensor lights.

She said she understood Golden Plains Shire Council would make an application to upgrade the classification of the attacking dog to a dangerous dog and the second dog to a menacing dog, which carried onerous obligations to the owner.

"Mr Gill accepts this was a horrendous situation for the victims and shouldn't have occurred," Ms Moss said.

"He has taken steps to make sure it doesn't happen again."

Magistrate Cynthia Toose said these matters were 'always difficult' but the dogs had escaped on a number of occasions.

"It would have been a terrifying ordeal for each of the victims," she said.

"You are, I suppose, just so very fortunate it wasn't a child and the adults took appropriate action.

"Pet ownership comes with a significant responsibility, particularly when the dog had been declared into the category of menacing dog."

Gill was convicted and fined $2000.

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