Woman punished after her dogs went on the rampage

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard how Beverley Pugh, of Bond Street, Staveley, had been getting her children ready for school when her Staffordshire bull terrier Bob and Rottweiler Roxy got loose.

Prosecuting solicitor Becky Allsop said a resident on Clarendon Road heard the dogs barking and opened her door so one of her cats could run in, but the smaller of the two dogs got her cat Felix.

Mrs Allsop added that the bigger Rottweiler turned and as the woman tried to help Felix, the Rottweiler chased her into the house and got into her porch.

The court heard how both dogs moved on to Springwell Park Drive and caused chaos as another resident was walking her son to school and had to stand between the dogs and her son and another parent said the dogs had had a go at her daughter. Mrs Allsop also added the dogs were causing traffic to stop.

Police discovered Pugh’s home had an insecure fence and she said the rear door was insecure and had a chain but the dogs must have escaped.

Pugh pleaded guilty to two counts of being the owner of a dangerous out of control dog and two counts of allowing a dog to enter a public place.

John Wilford, defending, said there had been no previous incidents, the door has since been fixed and the dogs are now kept inside.

He added that Pugh had been getting her children ready when the dogs escaped.

Magistrates sentenced Pugh on Friday, May 9, to a 12 month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work. She must also pay a £60 victim surcharge, £85 costs and £100 compensation and was ordered to keep her dogs leashed and muzzled in public.