The owner of a banned pit bull dog pleaded guilty on 25 April to owning the dangerous dog that mauled her to death. Ellie Lawrenson died when she was attacked by the pit bull terrier-type dog at her grandmother’s home in St Helens. Kiel Simpson, 23, appeared before Liverpool Magistrates and pleaded guilty to owning a dog banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. His mother also appeared before Liverpool Crown Court charged with unlawful killing. Simpson was warned he could face jail. The maximum penalty under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 is a six months prison term or a £5000 fine. He was granted unconditional bail and will be sentenced on 16 May. Mr Simpson’s solicitor said his client felt “morally responsible” for the death of Ellie and that he “wanted to crawl into a hole”. The court heard the dog had been banished from the house after biting Kiel Simpson’s 19-year-old sister Kelsey on 21 November. She needed hospital treatment for puncture wounds to her thigh after the unprovoked attack. Mr Simpson had made efforts to give the dog to someone else after the attack on his sister.

Lawyers claim that Kiel Simpson had left instructions for the dog to be left outside the house but this had not happened. Jacqueline Simpson’s defence counsel indicated that she would plead not guilty at a later stage. She is also charged with possessing heroin. Ellie suffered fatal head and neck injuries in the attack at the house in Knowles House Avenue, in Eccleston, on New Year’s Day. The dog which attacked her was destroyed at the scene by Merseyside Police.

I reported in January about the horrific death of a five year old girl, Ellie Lawrenson (pictured left), who was savaged by her uncle’s Pit Bull Terrier. Today the police have announced they are charging her grandmother with manslaughter – she was caring for the little girl at the time. They are also charging her uncle for keeping a dangerous dog – under section one of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, which banned four breeds of dog – including pit bulls. Tags:dogs,weblog, pets,diary,dog food,

You have probably heard that a five year old girl was killed here in England last week by her uncle’s dog, a pit bull terrier. Incredibly there has been a law in force for fifteen years , which should have prevented attacks like this:
The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 bans the breeding and sale or exchange of four kinds of dog – pit bull terriers, Japanese Tosas, the Dogo Argentinos, and the Fila Brasileiros. Cross-breeds of those dogs are covered by the law. Any other dogs “appearing… to be bred for fighting or to have the characteristics of a type bred for that purpose” are also banned. Under the act, a dog classed as being “dangerously out of control in a public place” can be destroyed. The owner can be fined and imprisoned for up to six months. If a dog injures someone, the owner can be jailed for up to two years.

We have had a few close encounters with dangerous dogs, and I know a couple of Loui’s friends have been injured. Maybe now the police and animal authorities will be able to give the law some teeth.

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