Japanese Akita must be put down – Judge
Street party for children of town estates THERE will be a street party for the children of but also mark the 19th anniversary of the opening Brendan Corish Gardens and Lee Heights this of the estate. The party at 5 p.m. on Saturday, August. Local woman Nancy Pitman said she August 27, is open to all the children of the two along with others in the estate are busy putting estates and is sure to be a great evening of fun together plans for the party which will not only and food. Anyone who wishes to help out with celebrate the return to school for local children the preparations can contact Nancy Pitman. THE destruction of a Japanese Akita guard dog belonging to John Quinn, address given as Milltown, Ballycullane, was ordered after Wexford District heard how it had killed poultry and attacked a pet belonging to neighbours.
Quinn, who came to court in Ardcavan with fiancée Natasha English, pleaded not guilty to an offence alleged under the Control of Dogs legislation.
Evidence was given by electrical technician Noel Whelan of Coolroe in Ballycullane who told how he was at home on the evening of May 19 last year.
The father of two heard barking outside and went to the rescue of the family’s Bernese mountain dog when it was beset on the patio at the rear of the house by a large white dog and a small black dog.
He drove the intruders away by waving a hurl and they departed in the direction of Milltown, leaving the Bernese with a cut over its left eye.
A week and a half later, he was brought by dog warden John Colfer to Quinn’s home, which he reckoned to be less than a mile from his own residence.
There he identified the Akita and a black dog as the culprits.
The warden confirmed to the court that he then impounded the larger animal, pointing out that Japanese Akita is on the official list of dangerous dog breeds.
It must be muzzled when in public, on a strong lead, and accompanied by someone at least 16 years of age.
The warden reckoned this was the third time that this particular animal had come to his attention.
Accused John Quinn accepted that the dog had killed chickens belonging to a next door neighbour on a previous occasion when it ran ahead of its owner after being allowed run around a 30-acre field without a lead.
The dog’s owner told the court that he had put up an electric fence to keep the Akita in its run.
Ms English reckoned that, on the day in question, the dog was with her at home all day and could not have been responsible for the incident at Whelan’s.
She stressed that it was a friendly show dog and not a fight dog, adding that it played with children.
The judge imposed a conviction for not having the pet under proper control, fining Quinn €200, with €400 legal costs, €120 witness expenses and €80 kennel costs – a total of €800. He also ordered destruction of the Akita. The unemployed defendant was told he had two weeks to lodge any appeal of the court’s decision.