Cop-biting dog escapes death

Shifty the pit bull terrier has escaped death row at the eleventh hour, despite biting a courier driver on the buttocks and a policeman on the finger, and is to be reunited with his adoring owners.

Shifty attacked and bit a courier driver in May, inflicting two puncture wounds to his bottom. The next day a police officer went to the property to investigate and Shifty rushed out the front door and bit the officer's finger.

Mr Hurring was said to have told the police officer: "If you shoot my dog, I will shoot you."

This is pretty much disrespect for law and order. The dog laws are pretty black and white, "your dog bites, we kill dog". With this sort of attitude, no wonder people think that their dog will be put down if they either 'admit' their dog bit, or won't tell the doctor because the dog is part of the family.

And they say that dog bites are down?!?! or is it the reporting of them ?

(...)

The special circumstances included that Shifty had no previous history of attacking people and till now had been contained within the property, and that a faulty door lock had allowed Shifty access to the police officer, he said.

Other facts taken into account included that Mr Hurring suffered an illness and was a sickness beneficiary who relied on Shifty as his best mate.

Mr Hurring's partner, Carli Ebbett, said they were incredibly relieved that they were getting Shifty back.

At least it's good that the judge saw sense...