Bulldog terrier to be destroyed

A YOUNG Shetland woman has been banned from keeping a dog for five years after her cross-bred bulldog mauled and killed a cat in Lerwick in April this year.

On Wednesday Lerwick Sheriff Court also ordered Chantelle Mockford’s Hines American bulldog/Staffordshire bull terrier cross to be destroyed.

The 20 year old, of 4 Harbour Street, Lerwick, had previously pled guilty to being the owner of a dog that was dangerously out of control and mauled a domestic cat at Fort Charlotte on 15 April.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie told the court that the incident could have been prevented had the dog been on a lead.

When the cat, well known to the area and described as a minor celebrity, ventured in to Fort Charlotte, she was spotted by Mockford’s dog, which started chasing her. The cat died “very quickly” after being caught and mauled by the dog.

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Mr Mackenzie said the whole episode was witnessed by the cat’s owner who had been alerted by the noise.

Defending, solicitor Gregor Kelly told the court that his client, although heavily pregnant, had tried to get her dog off the cat.

He said she was shocked by what had happened and had expressed her regret.
Asking the court for leniency, he said Mockford was anxious for the dog to be re-homed and had already identified a potential new home in Aberdeen.

But Sheriff Graeme Napier said that justice would only be done by destroying the dog.