A dangerous dog owner who was caught hitting his pet with a chain and kicking it to its body has been banned from keeping animals for five years.
William Duguid was told to stop by a concerned neighbour when he was lashing out at the Pitbull Terrier in the Abbot Bar car park in Provost Watt Drive, Aberdeen on May 16 last year.
The dog, which is an illegal breed to keep in the UK, had earlier bitten a member of the public, and a drugged-up Duguid was hitting the pet as a reaction to the earlier incident.
The 27-year-old appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday where he admitted possessing a dangerous dog and causing it to suffer unnecessary harm.
Fiscal depute Colin Neilson said: “A woman looked out of her window and saw the accused with a dog.
“He seemed to be hitting the dog with a chain. She told him to stop. He was disagreeable to this. He was also seen repeatedly kicking the dog to the body.
“She contacted police. CCTV footage was seen which showed him making as kicking motion towards the dog.”
Representing Duguid, of Covenanters Drive, Aberdeen, defence agent Ian McGregor said: “Something had happened before with the dog. He is somewhat hazy with regards to the events. He had taken various substances that day.
“He has owned this dog for a period of nine years and there have been no other incidents. He has always taken the dog to the vet when it needed to go.
“He reacted to an incident earlier in the day when the dog had bitten a member of the public. That happened about ten minutes before.”
Sheriff Graham Buchanan told Duguid: “I am required by law to order the destruction of the dog, which is a breed that is illegal in this country.”
He also fined Duguid £750.
