A dog owner has been ordered to pay £3,235 after her pet bit a neighbour's hand when she was giving her a Christmas card. A court heard Jane Diskin, 58, was prosecuted after her German Shepherd/Husky cross Toby attacked her neighbour.
Toby bit through the skin on the woman's right hand so the tendons were visible and then bit her finger. The victim was taken to hospital where she needed a skin graft. She now feels she has to move house to be away from Toby, reports StokeonTrentLive.
Diskin has been fined £500 and ordered to pay her neighbour £2,500 compensation. Prosecutor Sara Beddow said the victim was outside her house on December 22 when the defendant came out of her home and said she had her Christmas card.
Miss Beddow said: "Diskin had her Husky German Shepherd cross Toby with her. He was barking but there was nothing unusual about his behaviour.
"The neighbour took the Christmas card from Diskin. She saw Toby biting her hand. She did not see him jump up. She did not initially feel him bite her. She went to pull her hand away. Toby bit again, pulling her into Diskin's garden. She saw skin on her right hand and tendons beneath the skin. Toby bit her finger and then let go."
The victim was taken to hospital. In a victim statement she said she now struggles to sleep at night. The injury has led to her having to go to physio twice-a-week. She said: "Hopefully I will have full use of my hand again but it could take two years."
She can't currently undertake simple tasks like filling her car with petrol or opening a bottle. The victim added: "If I know the dog is outside I won't leave my address until I know it is secure in the house. I am in a constant state of fear. I do not think it is feasible to remain here while the dog is here."
Police dog expert PC Robert Mountford advised that Toby is walked with a muzzle on. Diskin, of Robertville Road, Bucknall, pleaded guilty to being the owner of a dog which caused injury when dangerously out of control.
Alan Dawson, mitigating, said the defendant bought Toby when he was eight-weeks-old and he was 11-months-old when he bit the victim. Mr Dawson said: "The defendant and the complainant were neighbours. My client returned home and saw the neighbour at the front of the property and delivered to her the Christmas card.
"There is a wall between the two addresses. The card was exchanged. The dog was quite properly on a lead. My client says the complainant put her hand over the fence and at that point the dog appears to have grabbed hold of her hand. We accept the injury was caused as a result of that.
"The police officer who visited the address has no real concerns over the dog."
Mr Dawson said the defendant has made efforts to apologise. He added: "She is distraught about what happened."
He added: "My client instructs me that when out the dog is on a lead. The dog is muzzled in public. There is no chance of the dog escaping. It is kept under close control."
Magistrates made an indefinite control order for the dog. It must be on a fixed lead and muzzled in public. It must not be walked by anyone under 18 and must be kept in the back garden, must not come into contact with children or vulnerable people and there must be a sign on the premises saying a dog is present.
As well as the fine and compensation, Diskin must also pay £185 costs and a £50 surcharge.
