RACE AGAINST TIME TO SAVE DOG
OWNER BANNED FROM KEEPING DOGS:
A DOG taken off its owner after she failed to control it properly will be put down in two weeks unless a new home can be found.
Rocco attacked a dog and its owner after being let off the lead while going for a walk. Swansea Crown Court heard the threeyear-old husky had never had proper obedience training.
Rocco’s owner, Natalie Pasquantonio, was handed a suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control which caused injury. She was was banned from keeping dogs for 10 years.
An application for a destruction order was adjourned to see if a suitable home could be found for the dog, but the resumed hearing was told that had proved impossible.
However, judge Paul Thomas QC took the unusual step of issuing the order but postponing its implementation for 14 days in the hope that a new owner who is prepared to take on the husky comes forward.
Rocco ended up on death row following an incident on the Tawe riverside path in Morriston on September 1 last year.
At the original sentencing hearing last week Georgina Buckley, prosecuting, told the court that Rocco was running loose and “charged” at another dog being walked on a lead, and bit its back legs.
She said the owner of the second dog managed to separate the animals but then Rocco bit her on the left hand and jumped up at her. The barrister said the victim felt instant pain and was “taken aback by how strong the husky was”.
The court heard that 32-year-old Pasquantonio appeared and regained control of her pet.
Miss Buckley said the victim recognised the defendant as being the same woman who had been involved with another incident with her dog some months earlier, though no charges had been brought.
The court heard the victim suffered a deep bite to her hand and scratches to her arm.
The dog Rocco attacked suffered bite marks to his legs and neck, and the court heard that after the incident became “anxious and untrusting” and would cry out at night.
In the end the decision was taken to put him down because of the “emotional trauma” he had suffered.
The prosecutor said police dog handler Walter Pennell had prepared a report on Rocco in which he said he did not witness the dog acting aggressively, although the assessments had been conducted in a calm and measured way. He said it was clear Rocco had not received any basic obedience training because he pulled on the lead, jumped about and did not comply with simple instructions.
He recommended that if a contingent rather than immediate destruction order were to be made, any new owner should have to abide by conditions such as ensuring Rocco was always muzzled in public, and was kept on a short lead.
Hywel Davies, for Pasquantonio, said the defendant had owned Rocco since he was 15 weeks old and was upset at the thought of losing him. He said his client had not done the necessary obedience training with the animal, and was sorry for what happened.
Pasquantonio had previously been sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for 12 months, and been ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation course when the case came back to court to decide Rocco’s fate.
The court heard that attempts to find someone suitable to take Rocco had drawn a blank.
Judge Thomas said in those circumstances he would make the dog destruction order but he did so “reluctantly”.
However, he said he would postpone the implementation of the order for 14 days in the hope that somebody would come forward and take on responsibility for Rocco.