Woman bitten by St Bernard dog ‘Bubba’ while on a walk
A SLIGO woman has told a court it was lucky she was wearing a heavy jacket when she was bitten by a St Bernard dog on the elbow, while she was out walking her own unmuzzled dog in the Ballincar area in 2019.
Edel Noone told the court how she later went to Sligo University Hospital where she got an anti-tetanus injection and antibiotics for “broken skin”. She added that she struck out at the St Bernard dog, who had escaped from a private dwelling, with a stick to protect her own German Shepherd dog at Kintogher, Rosses Point, on August 26, 2019.
St Bernard dog owner John Clifford, 53, of Ballincar, admitted charges that he kept a dog without a licence and that as owner of a dog, permitted that dog to be in a place other than specified on August 26, 2019. The charges were later struck out when he paid €300 to the injured party Edel Noone and €300 to the ISPCA.
Defence solicitor Joe Keyes told the court that the defendant would be pleading guilty to the charges.
Prosecuting Inspector Gerry Moylan told the court that the injured party wished to address the court.
Ms Noone told the court that she was out walking her German Shepherd dog in the
Springfield area of Ballincar. She saw a St Bernard dog approaching and she ran towards a gate to get away, but the gate was locked.
The St Bernard went on the attack and Ms Noone tried to beat him off with a stick she was carrying.
A boy came running and tried to pull the St Bernard dog away. The witness said she was holding her dog in her left hand, his collar was around his neck. “My dog was under me, but I was bitten by the St Bernard in the elbow. I was wearing a thick jacket, luckily.”
The court was told that the St Bernard was restrained by the boy.
Gardaí were contacted and the witness went to A&E.
Her skin was broken, and she had to get a tetanus injection and antibiotics. She needed follow-up treatment in Drumcliffe. She was shaken by the incident and was given sleeping tablets and the matter had resolved since.
But, she was still anxious and
“froze” whenever she heard a dog barking.
Defence solicitor Joe Keyes said the defendant lived close to where the matter had occurred. The witness admitted that she had previously voiced concerns about the dog with the defendant. “I was concerned about it getting out,” she told the court. Mr Keyes asked the witness if she always carried a walking stick.
The witness said she brought it to protect her own dog.
She agreed that she had struck the defendant’s St Bernard dog and got bitten on the elbow.
“Your own dog was not muzzled, and you know he should be muzzled. If he had been muzzled would your behaviour have been any different?”
The witness said she would then have been fearful that he would not be able to defend himself.
Mr Keyes said if the German Shepherd dog was not muzzled, “it should have been muzzled.” The court heard Ms Noone’s dog would have been a bigger danger unmuzzled.
Mr Keyes said both parties were neighbours, and it was a narrow country road.
He added that the defendant’s house was gated and walled. In response to a question from Judge Kevin Kilrane, the witness said the St Bernard dog was half way over the wall and he climbed out and he was on the road.
“It happened very quickly. One of the Clifford boys arrived on the scene,” she said. Inspector Moylan handed in photos of the fence and gate at the Clifford household.
He said he had visited the property and found a substantial dog pen about half the size of the courtroom.
The court was told the Inspector had inspected the location and was satisfied with its safety measures.
Mr Keyes said that defendant John Clifford could explain the background.
The father-of-four said he had the St Bernard dog “Bubba” for almost four years.
He had put in a pen back in 2008. The family had a gated home, and it was well fenced. The defendant said he was going to a meeting and the gate was opening and his boys were playing football and dog was with them.
“They took their eye off the ball and he got out.”
This witness said the family were deeply sorry about the incident. It was a one-off.
The court heard the premises were well protected, and he was sure that the dog was not a threat to the public or himself. Mr Clifford said he had three animal licences.
Inspector Moylan said Ms Noone had an unfortunate experience in meeting the St Bernard dog on the public road. “It was an unfortunate series of events that has upset her greatly.”
She had attended court on two occasions and her jacket was damaged.
The court was told that Mr Cliford had been keen to engage with Ms Noone, but she was not interested at the time.
The court heard that that maybe there should better security and this was an aberration and had unfortunate consequences for Ms Noone.
When asked if she had a personal civil injury claim which she was entitled to have, Ms Noone said she did not and was leaving it to the court.
Judge Kevin Kilrane said the proofs in a criminal prosecution are different and must show serious negligence on the part of Mr Clifford in not having proper measures in place. He had licences at the time but not for the dog.
The judge awarded the injured party €300 in compensation for her damaged jacket and having to take days off work to come to court.
Both cases were struck out after the defendant, who has no previous convictions, paid €300 to Ms Noone and a further €300 to the ISPCA.