Dog may be destroyed

A woman has been warned her dog may be destroyed after it went dangerously out of control and tried to bite two children.

A judgment will be made next month on whether Lerwick woman Violet Robertson’s Staffordshire Bull Terrier, called Sasha, will be put down.

Robertson, 41, of Norgaet in the town, admitted failing to comply with a dog control notice when she appeared in the dock at Lerwick Sheriff Court today.

The animal went dangerously out of control at Staney Hill on 15th January and went for two eight-year-old children, repeatedly jumping and trying to bite the youngsters.

Robertson’s difficulty is the latest in her list of several analogous offences, which means she faces losing the dog.

Defence agent Tommy Allan admitted there was an issue surrounding Sasha, and what would happen to her. The animal, he said, is currently in the care of Robertson’s son.

There is a possibility Robertson may simply have to give up the dog, rather than see her destroyed. Mr Allan said destroying the animal was “not inevitable”. Sheriff Philip Mann agreed he had “a discretion rather than a requirement”.

Ordaining Robertson, he deferred sentence until 24th July for background reports.