A guard dog that could only understand commands in German and was recently purchased from a rescue center, attacked a three-year old girl in Barry Sidings Countryside Park, Pontypridd.
German-trained guard dogs were unable to understand English commands and attacked a 3-year-old girl.
The dog grabbed the little girl and shook its powerful jaws.
According to court records, the Dutch herder dog was similar to an Alsatian and trained in Germany for security and protection work. WalesOnline.
Chief, the dog was adopted from a rescue facility just four days prior with a warning. “not good”With children.
Its new owner, who doesn’t speak German, was exercising the dog in a park when it pounced on the girl.
It bit into her neck and back, leaving scars that will last her through her teens.
The young girl required surgery under general anaesthesia and spent four days at Cardiff’s University Hospital of Wales.
According to her mother’s account, she was left with a fear for animals with claws. She still has nightmares and flashbacks.
Daniel Barge (33), was released from jail immediately after admitting that he was in charge of a dog in danger in public places.
Jeff Jones, Prosecutor of the United States, said: “The dog was trained in Germany and the new owner was told it could easily overstep the mark. He was told to keep it away from children’s playgrounds and sand pits because it wasn’t good with children.
“Barge was walking the dog through the park on a harness when it nudged the little girl off her feet. It gripped her back and neck and began shaking her for about 15 seconds while she was on the ground. Passers-by and the girl’s grandfather all struggled to get the dog off her such was its grip.”
Barge and others in the park shouted at their dog, but its only English commands were understood by them. “heel” “sit”.
The court heard Barge and his mother Melanie Harries paid the rescue centre in Llanelli £150 for the 10-year-old dog.
Mr Jones also added: “There was knowledge that this dog had a past – it had been trained to be aggressive and had been used in protection and as a security dog.”
The attack on the Barry Sidings Countryside Park, Pontypridd, took place in August 2013.
A victim impact statement from the tot’s mother said she was left with a fear of animals with claws and still has flashbacks and nightmares.
Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court listened to the horrendous incident in Barge. He was hospitalized for 10 weeks.
Peter Donnison, defending said that Barge had been “deeply saddened and remorseful”We made arrangements to have the dog killed immediately following the attack.
Barge was given a two month suspended jail sentence and ordered to pay the girl £500 compensation for her injuries.
Judge Richard Twomlow said to him: “This was a terrifying incident for the little girl and for her grandparents who were with her. You had no reason to think that the dog would behave in this extreme way.
“But given the victim’s age and her injuries this does pass the custody threshold. There will be a prison sentence but it will be suspended.”
The judge said the £500 compensation was not intended to reflect the severity of the little girl’s injuries.
