A Staffordshire bull terrier that was ordered to be destroyed after it bit an 11-year-old Aberdeen schoolgirl cannot be found, a court has heard.
Lisa Baxter, who was looking after the dog for a friend, admitted a charge of allowing the dog to be off its lead when it sunk its teeth into the thigh of a girl near Northfield’s Westpark Primary School, Aberdeen.
However, the whereabouts of the dog is currently unknown since its owner began a two-year prison sentence.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard that Baxter let the unmuzzled bull terrier off its lead on the evening of May 30 last year where it chased two 11-year-old girls and bit one on the leg.
Baxter pleaded guilty to one count of being in charge of a dog that was untethered and unmuzzled and allowing it to repeatedly bite a child on her body to her injury.
Fiscal depute Christy Ward told the court that the two children were playing on the grass to the rear of West Park School when the dog attacked.
She said: “At this time one of the girls began to run from the locus and could be heard shouting.
“She then saw a white Staffordshire bull terrier-type dog run towards her at pace and being aggressive – the dog had a short lead hanging from its neck and was not muzzled.
“The girl stood still, however, the dog jumped up at her and bit her on the leg and thigh causing a scratch and light bleeding.
“She turned away and the dog attempted to bite her buttocks.”
The girl then ran to her friend and the dog followed and ran around the girls in circles and stopping them from leaving the park.
Baxter then entered through the school gate and took hold of the dog by its neck.
Ms Ward added: “At no point was there an attempt to get the dog under control by the accused.
“She then walked up to the gate of the school and went home.”
Witnesses were then approached by the victim’s father and identified Baxter as the caretaker of the dog.
‘No one knows where the dog is’
However, defence agent John Ferrie told the court that despite the identity of Baxter and the dog’s owner being known, it has not been possible to locate the animal.
He said: “The person who owned the dog is now serving a two-year prison sentence and no one knows where the dog is.
“My understanding is that the dog has been moved on as the owner obviously can’t take care of it now.
“Ms Baxter did someone a favour that she will never ever do again.
“She was told that the dog would be okay off the lead and she accepts her responsibility.
“She gave the dog back as quickly as she could and she would not accept to do anything like that again.”
Sheriff Margaret Hodge called for further investigation to find the dog, stating: “Someone must know where that dog is”.
She added: “I can make an order for the destruction of this dog but it doesn’t really have any meaning unless the whereabouts of the dog are known.
“But I must make an order for its destruction.”
She sentenced Baxter, of Cruden Crescent, Aberdeen, to a community payback order and ordered her to carry out 90 hours of unpaid work.
Baxter will also have to pay compensation to the victim totalling £200.
Sheriff Hodge also made an order for the Staffordshire bull terrier to be destroyed.
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