Terrier attacked two other dogs in nine days

Now the pet’s fate hangs in the balance as a sheriff decides whether or not it should be destroyed.

Its owner, Dayle Cosgrove, 25, of Firhill Road, Lesmahagow, appeared at Lanark Sheriff Court on Thursday to plead guilty to failing to keep his terrier, named Hannibal, under control on both January 20 and 29 this year outside the Scotmid store in his home village’s Balgray Road.

On one occasion the dog attacked a rottweiler and on the other it targeted a cocker spaniel.

The court heard that, on the first occasion, a female Scotmid customer had tied her pet rottweiler to a post outside the shop but was quickly alerted to it being savaged by the terrier.

The woman, another customer and the store manager strove for three minutes to separate the animals, and the terrier was eventually distracted and ceased its onslaught. The rottweiler later needed treatment by a vet for bite wounds.

Nine days later, there was almost a repeat of the incident but, in that case, the spaniel attacked escaped injury.

Wheh police traced Cosgrove after the second attack, he claimed the terrier had escaped from his house when a door was left open.

Sheriff Andrew McIntyre described the terrier as “a young dog in the wrong hands”.

He deferred sentence on Cosgrove until Thursday, August 10, to check guidelines on dogs being put down.