Dog owners have been reminded of the consequences when dogs are not kept under proper control after the owner of two loose animals that mauled a Cockapoo in the street was banned from keeping dogs and ordered to pay £4,450 in compensation.
A man was walking his dog, ‘Ernie’, in Rosewood Drive, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, when two dogs – a Pit Bull Terrier and a Staffordshire Bull Terrier – ran over to them.
Fearing Ernie was about to be attacked, his owner picked him up, but the dogs jumped up at him, scratching his stomach, chest and chin.
When Ernie had to be put back on the ground, the ‘very strong and determined’ dogs continued to attack despite his owner and members of the public trying to stop them. They were eventually scared away and ran off.
Police were called after the incident happened shortly before 5pm on 14 July last year.
Ernie’s owner took him to the vets, where an experienced nurse said she hadn’t seen any animal with such severe injuries before.
The staff stayed behind to operate on Ernie until around 11pm that night.
On the same day, the two dogs that attacked Ernie were brought into the same vets as strays.
Denise Donner was identified as their owner when she collected them.
She said that she would go home and get the money to pay for the vet’s bills – but she never returned to pay that bill.
A dog legislation officer and expert in the identification of prohibited breeds of dog confirmed that one of Donner’s dogs involved in the attack was a Pit Bull Terrier – a banned breed of dog under section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.
Donner, aged 53, of St Michael’s Street, Sutton-in-Ashfield, admitted two counts of owning dogs that were dangerously out of control, possessing a fighting dog and allowing a fighting dog to be in a public place without a muzzle or lead.
She was ordered to pay a total of £2,450 in compensation to Ernie’s owner and £2,000 towards kennelling costs when she appeared at Mansfield Magistrates’ Court for sentencing on Wednesday 19 August.
Donner was also banned from keeping dogs for five years.
The court also made an order for her two dogs to be destroyed, unless an appeal is lodged within a 21-day period, with the order being made because of their temperament, past behaviour and Donner not being a fit and proper person to keep dogs.
Police had also obtained additional evidence, including evidence that Donner’s dogs had badly mauled a Shih Tzu Terrier cross in Kirkby-in-Ashfield in May 2025, which meant it had to be put down.
Inspector Keith Croft, district commander for Ashfield, said: “We understand that incidents involving dogs can cause considerable concern in our communities, particularly where people feel threatened or injuries occur.
“We can only hope that this distressing case reminds dog owners of their responsibilities and provides a stark warning about the importance of keeping animals under control in public places at all times.
“I also want to reassure people that we will act on all information provided on suspected irresponsible dog ownership, and positive action will be taken where offences are identified and the evidence allows.”
