North Longford dog owner convicted for pitbull not being muzzled and on a lead

A dog-owner has been convicted and fined €450 by Longford District Court over an incident that arose from his pitbull not being muzzled and on a lead while in public.

Mr James Mahony, who was living in Barraghbeg, Drumlish at the time, appeared before Judge Bernadette Owens charged with an offence under the Control of Dogs Act 1986.

The court heard how on January 23 this year, at Barraghbeg, Drumlish, a woman was out walking her dog when she encountered Mr Mahony’s American Pitbull Stafford Terrier/Boxer.

She said the pitbull began “pulling at” her dog, and refused to let go.

She told Gardai that she had called on Mr Mahony for assistance but he was unable to separate them.

Once the animals were parted, the woman said Mr Mahony put a lead on his dog and continued walking in the same direction as her, frequently stopping to verbally abuse her.

The woman described him to Gardai as “intoxicated”, and supplied a photo she had taken of him during the altercation.

The court heard how following the incident, she brought her dog to the vet which resulted in the animal requiring 18 stitches, the bill for which came to €387.

Mr Mahony, who refused the court’s offer of legal aid, told Judge Owens he was pleading guilty but added that, “her dog bit mine, he just wanted to play. She made a mess of it by screaming and that made my dog excited.”

He said his dog, Buddy, always greeted people by jumping up on them and that he had been living in the area for over a year without any problems regarding his dog around other animals.

Mr Mahony - who has since moved back to Dublin - explained his routine of putting Buddy on a lead once they were on the main road however Judge Owens reminded the defendant that when it came to “a particular breed of dog there are requirements.”

“If you had complied with those requirements,” she said, “ we wouldn’t be here today.”

Prosecution Sgt Enda Daly told the court that Mr Mahony had “some previous convictions but nothing dog-related.”

In delivering her verdict, Judge Owens told the defendant, “I appreciate you have now left the area so there won’t be a recurrence here, but I have two options. I do think that this was a once-off situation.

You’ve explained that when you got onto the main road, that your habit was to put on the dog lead, but the dog should never have been off the lead when in public or without a muzzle. I can give you the opportunity to compensate the injured party or you can take the fine.”

Mr Mahony told the court he would take the fine.

“You will have a conviction recorded against you,” Judge Owens reminded him.

“I’ll take the fine Judge,” he replied.

Mr Mahony was convicted and fined €450 with nine months to pay.

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