LABRADOR MAULED LEOPOLD BOY, COURT TOLD:
Labrador euthanised
A YOUNG boy needed surgery after being mauled as he rode a bike through a Leopold reserve.
The Geelong Magistrates’ Court heard the seven-yearold spent two days in hospital after being attacked on April 21 this year.
Leopold man Andrew Peek was sentenced to a good behaviour bond yesterday after the court heard he was in control of the Labrador when it launched the attack.
City of Greater Geelong prosecutor Wayne Lugg said the victim was in the reserve with various relatives — including his mother and aunt — when the male dog lunged at him about 4.30pm.
Peek was walking the dog on a lead, however it managed to launch itself at the child twice and bite the boy on his right thigh.
Mr Lugg said the Labrador dragged the boy off the bike when it lunged at him the second time.
The court heard Peek pulled his dog away from the victim, but by that stage the attack had already left the boy with three puncture wounds to his leg.
The child was taken to Geelong hospital’s emergency department.
He underwent surgery and required 10 stitches for his wounds.
Geelong council officers interviewed Peek about the incident a month later, while the dog was surrendered to the pound and has since been euthanised.
Magistrate Peter Mellas said the incident should serve as a message to people walking their dogs in public.
“As much as anything, it’s a very real example of how vigilant dog owners need to be,” Mr Mellas said.
He said it appeared Peek was otherwise a responsible person, and acknowledged the decision to euthanise the dog would have been difficult to make.
He chose to place Peek on a 12-month good behaviour bond given those factors, along with his guilty plea.
“If that promise (to be of good behaviour) is kept, then at the end of the 12 months, the charge will be marked dismissed,” Mr Mellas said.
Peek was also ordered to pay $85.40 for council legal costs.