Fine for pitbull owner

The owner of a pitbull that killed two pets after it escaped from his yard twice was ordered yesterday to forfeit the animal and to pay $680.

Michael Douglas, 40, who insisted in Magistrates Court that his dog, Icey, was harmless, was also banned from possession of another dog for six months.

He told the court: She is a very friendly dog; its just unfortunate that she found herself in this situation.

Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo heard that the dog escaped from Mr Douglass home on April 25 last year and went to neighbour James Elis yard and killed a chicken.

The animal also ran off on April 12, broke into a rabbit cage in Mr Elis yard and savaged one of the pets.

The court heard that Douglas, who had owned Icey since February last year, moved to a Pembroke house that did not have adequate fencing.

Icey was seized by an animal warden on the day of the rabbit attack, but was returned five days later after Douglas assured the warden service that his home now had proper fencing to keep the dog in.

Douglas admitted that Icey had killed the two pets and that he had kept a pitbull in a way that did not properly contain it.

Mr Tokunbo also ordered Douglas to pay Mr Eli $180 in compensation by February 28 and a $500 fine by March 31.

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