Dog may be put down after beagle attacked in street

Witnesses reported how the pet’s owner had been forced to ram a stick down his animal’s throat to free its jaws from the other dog. The dog had attacked another at least once before.

In the Magistrate’s Court its owner Clint Blondel, 47, of White House, La Vassalerie, St Andrew’s, denied failing to restrain an animal that he owned from attacking another. The defence argued that as a friend of the defendant had left a door open from which the dog had escaped. There had been no evidence that a specific act on Blondel’s part had caused the incident and it had been an accident. But he was found guilty.

The Magistrate’s Court heard how a woman, who was seven months pregnant, and her partner were walking Barney, their six-year-old rescue beagle past the defendant’s home near the German Underground Hospital at about 10.15am. Blondel’s dog Murphy, who had no collar or lead, ran from his house, clamped his jaws on the right side of Barney’s chest and refused to let go. The woman was bitten as she tried to free Barney and was calling for help.

Her partner said the defendant, who had come out from his property, ended up on the ground holding Murphy in a headlock. He then used a stick to try and prise Murphy’s jaws open.

Neighbours told police there was screaming. Blondel had tried to get his dog to release the other and after a wrestle, had ended up with blood on his hands and arms.

The dog owner had burst in to tears when talking to the vet who was called. Barney needed stitches for multiple puncture wounds and his owner was treated for injuries to her hand.

Blondel said he had owned Murphy since he was a puppy. The dog got on well with people but had a problem with other dogs. He had walked Murphy on a lead at night ever since he had attacked another dog. Murphy would get so excited when seeing other dogs passing the property that he had frosted glass fitted in the front door.

The dog had been neutered and Blondel had put clear signs up reminding people to close the door behind them.

Since the incident he had improved fencing and fitted an electric gate, all costing more than £10,000. It would be impossible for Murphy to escape now but he had not seen the dog since as he had been held in care.

The court heard that Blondel’s friend Kevin Bennett had not properly closed the front door as they went to his garage. Blondel said he thought he had done everything he could, and did not blame himself for ‘an accident’. Mr Bennett told the court he accepted that he had failed to properly shut the door.

Advocate Phoebe Cobb, for Blondel, said there was no evidence that her client had performed a specific act in failing to restrain his dog and there had been no omission on his part. The signs reminding people to shut the doors were very clear.

But Judge Graeme McKerrell said Murphy was clearly a dog with form and this had been a serious attack by an animal which was a known ‘escape artist.’

While the back of Blondel’s house was secure, the only thing to stop the dog escaping at the front was the door. Accidents did happen but they could be guarded against, he said.

He found Blondel guilty, but Advocate Cobb applied to have the dog returned.

Given the States Vet’s recommendation she wanted an independent report on Murphy.

Sentencing was adjourned so this could be arranged, and the defendant was bailed unconditionally.