He’s not dead! ‘T Bone’ escapes death by lethal injection

A Staffordshire Bull terrier who ‘shredded into mincemeat’ a Chihuahua called ‘Gucci’ has escaped doggy death row.

The dog, called ‘T Bone’ was being looked after by Karen Rider, 34, who popped to the shops leaving it in her garden with a child.

He managed to escape and savaged ‘Gucci’ who was being walked by a ten year-old.

Blood was sprayed his blood across a communal garden area outside the Pattison House estate, in Borough as ‘T-Bone chewed his tiny body into pieces.

A neighbour saw the gruesome attack on March 21 this year and ran outside with her husband armed with a stick.

They bravely tried to shoo ‘T-Bone’ away as the child stood screaming with Gucci’s lead still in his hand.

But it was too late and the distraught owners were left to carry away the dog’s lifeless body.

Rider was fined, but the death penalty against ‘T Bone was commuted – provided he wears a muzzle when he goes out in future.

Prosecutor Edwin Aydin earlier told the court: ‘The cuddly little dog was torn to pieces.’

‘Gucci ended up like mincemeat.

He added: ‘T-Bone was ferocious. He was out of control.

‘It was a very brutal attack.’

Shane Hull, the dogs owner, has made attempts to apologise for the attack.

Rider had admitted being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control at an earlier hearing.

Andrew Weldon, defending said:’The dog was on a lead until they went into a closed area outside their flat.

‘Ms Rider then realised she didn’t have a poo bag and needed milk, so went to the shops in site of the area.

‘She closed the gate, leaving her nephew with the dog.

‘When she came out the incident had already happened.

‘A friend of her son had come across the road, and one or other of them opened the gate.

‘T-Bone escaped and with a single bite broke the dogs neck.

‘She was very distressed, and pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.’

An earlier hearing had heard that the owner’s son still keeps a picture of him by his bedside, and is too heartbroken even to play with a relative’s dog.

District Judge Susan Green ordered Rider, of (Flat 32) Windmill House, Windmill Walk, Lambeth, southeast London,to pay £500 in compensation to the family of the deceased pet, and to pay £85 court costs.

She said: ‘It has been extremely traumatic for all concerned, but even more so for the 10-year-old who was holding his family pet.

‘Ms Rider is a person of good character, and she pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and I give her full credit for that.

‘She is a single parent on income support.

‘Money will not fit the bill in compensation, because the court is limited.’

A two month contingency destruction order was also made, meaning T-Bone must wear a muzzle in public, be on a lead at all times in public, not be left alone with someone under 16,and must have third party insurance.
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