Banned dog breed mauls woman and dog during vicious street attack

A Pitbull Terrier has attacked and mauled a woman and her pet dog in the street in Barnsley.

On April 20 this year, Connor Caves, 21 and of Lundwood in Barnsley, left his pet dog Jax, a banned Pitbull Terrier, with minors. The dog was not being properly supervised and so managed to escape and, at around 8.30am, Jax approached a woman walking her dog on Lang Avenue.

Jax was aggressive and began to attack the woman's dog, causing injuries which required serious treatment. This cost more than £700.

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In addition, the woman suffered injuries to her legs while a bystander who witnessed the attack intervened and pulled Jax away. South Yorkshire Police were called to the scene and seized Jax. They assessed him and found him to be a banned breed.

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Caves then appeared before Barnsley Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, November 20 and he was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, and 80 hours of unpaid work. In addition, he was ordered to pay £1,000 in compensation to the victim, was disqualified from owning a dog for two years and a destruction order was granted for Jax.

Chief Inspector Emma Cheney said: “While every dog has the ability to cause harm, banned breeds are banned for this reason; their breeding, innate nature and strength means they have the capability to cause serious harm including a fatality.

“As dangerous dogs continue to place demand on our force, I am pleased that those who fail to be responsible owners and take action for their pets are now facing prosecution. I urge you to remember you are responsible for your dog’s actions, it is you that faces the judge.”

South Yorkshire Police have also issued some simple advice to ensure safety around dogs. You should:

• Ensure your garden fencing and gates are secure

• Walk your dog on a lead

• Never leave children unsupervised with any dog.

You can find more information on the Blue Cross website here.