Elgin woman banned from owning dogs after French bulldog attacked seven-year-old child
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A WOMAN from Elgin has been banned from owning dogs for a period of one year after her French bulldog attacked a seven-year-old child outside her home.
Elgin Sheriff Court heard that the boy had gone to Laura McCrae's home in Elgin on May 24 last year to meet friends when he noticed the door to the property wide open.
Shortly after, a dog, later identified as the 40-year-old's French bulldog Blue, ran out of the house barking.
It caught up to the boy quickly and started to bite his legs.
A witness nearby saw the boy struggling with the dog after hearing screaming and shouting.
They grabbed a plastic pole from their garden and started to wave it at the dog to distract it which enabled the boy to get away and McCrae to get her pet back under control.
She then took the boy back into the house and applied plasters to his cuts but failed to contact his parents.
However, the boy told his mother about the incident when he returned home and showed her his bite marks.
He was taken to Dr Gray's Hospital to have his injuries cleaned and was given antibiotics before the police were contacted.
McCrae's defence solicitor told the court that the dog has since been rehomed.
He said that at the time of the incident it had just had puppies and had become increasingly territorial.
But he added that since being rehomed the dog has shown a "remarkable change in its behaviour" and that there have been no further issues.
Sheriff David Sutherland banned McCrae from owning dogs for a period of one year.
He also imposed a two year supervision order and ordered her to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.
McCrae's defence solicitor informed Sheriff Sutherland that his client still has one of the dog's puppies in her care.
But the sheriff upheld the order.
He said: "I know progress has been made but I must consider safety first."
