A Banff man who broke his five-year ban on keeping dogs has had it doubled to 10 years – but he’s allowed to have a budgie instead, a sheriff told him.
Kieran White, 41, failed to take seriously the control order slapped on him after his brown and white Staffordshire bull terrier, called Max, went on a “biting spree”.
Max attacked three other dog owners and their pets on three separate occasions before he was then placed into the care of White’s mother.
But Max then carried out another attack and White defied his ban by taking back control of the dangerous dog.
It landed the 41-year-old back in the dock to have his dog ban doubled and be told by the sheriff: “If you want to have a budgie, I don’t have a problem with that”.
‘Am I allowed any other animals?’
At Banff Sheriff Court, Sheriff Robert MacDonald said: “As far as this dog is concerned, and your ownership or looking after the dog is concerned, it’s disappointing to see you on this charge, having already dealt with a similar matter.
“It’s only right I impose a further order disqualifying you from owning or keeping a dog for 10 years.”
White asked the sheriff: “Am I allowed any other animals?”
He told the court that the latest incident of the dog being out of control was “only because my shoulder gave way”.
The sheriff replied: “This disqualification is because you haven’t been able to control your dog. If you want to have a budgie, I don’t have a problem with that.”
Danger dog Max has long history
On Christmas Day 2020, Max left one woman needing medical treatment after he launched himself from a garden, bit the dog walker’s leg and refused to let go.
The Staffie also caused another dog to need vet care after inflicting “several puncture wounds” on its tail during an attack on January 24 2021.
Another dog and its owner were bitten in a third incident, exactly one month later, when Max lunged at the man and bit his arm
Although the dangerous dog was then led away, he broke free and bit the man’s dog and his shoes.
After the first two attacks, White was slapped with a dog control order, meaning he must keep Max muzzled and on a lead whenever he is out of the house – including in his own garden.
But less than five months after the court order was imposed, White let Max loose on Boyndie Street West in Banff on July 24 2021.
It was that incident to which White, of Duncan Street in Banff, pled guilty last month.
He was sentenced to one year of supervision and given a decade-long disqualification from keeping dogs.
Max previously spared from destruction
While Max was previously spared destruction for the biting spree, he was taken from White’s care and placed with his mother Maggie Driver instead.
But just four months later, Max hit the headlines again after he attacked another dog while off his lead in the Bears Den penned-off area at Duff House, Banff.
The court heard that the former rescue dog had a distressing past involving mistreatment and crime.
It’s understood Max has been seized from White and Driver and is currently in the custody of the Crown office.
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