A Staffordshire bull terrier called Junior is to be assessed by an animal behaviourist before his future is decided.
The Isle of Man Examiner reported last week how a Port Erin man had been ordered to pay £400 compensation after pleading guilty to charges of keeping a dangerous dog, not keeping the dog under proper control and allowing the dog to cause alarm or annoyance.
He had been asked by the dog’s owner to take charge of Junior and removed the dog’s muzzle but kept him on an extendable lead.
He stopped to talk on Port Erin beach to a man and his 10-year-old daughter. The man felt his leg being clamped by the dog, first one leg and then the other. The dog was then seen ‘cowering’.
The dog has since been returned to his breeder by the owner.
Advocate David Reynolds said in court that Junior had been abused over the period that the original owner had him.
At one time he said a burglar had tried to enter the premises where the dog was kept and had thrown Junior around the room.
He had suffered broken ribs and infections but not been taken to the vet.
In court on Thursday a decision on whether to destroy the dog was adjourned until December 3 pending the preparation of the behaviourist’s report.