Masterton dog fight on to stop menacing label

A Masterton dog owner is battling against a label of "menacing" imposed on her dog.

The classification of menacing, by deed was given to Joan Gibbs' German Shepherd, Bailey after an incident where Bailey was accused of attacking a woman, at the rugby grounds, in Colombo Rd. Bailey is a one-year-and-10-month-old female. A council summary report details how, on May 26, Bailey charged at a woman on a bike, tearing her jeans and biting her. The woman reported the attack and Masterton District Council dog control officer Malcolm Falk informed Mrs Gibbs Bailey had been classified as a menacing dog, and that she could object.

Mrs Gibbs said she was not aware the dog had bitten the victim but agreed to pay reparation of $75 for a new pair of jeans. Under the Dog Control Act 1996 a dog classified as menacing must be controlled by a muzzle and leash in public. Failure to comply with this can lead to the dog being seized, and in some cases put down. At an Animal Control Hearing on Wednesday Mrs Gibbs and Mary Phillips, president of the Wairarapa Kennel Association, appealed the classification.

Mrs Phillips disputed whether it was actually Bailey that had bitten the woman. She said photographs of the tear to the trousers and where the "alleged" bite mark was did not match up. "This is an alleged incident that I don't think the evidence stacks up, I don't think the alleged bite and torn trousers belong together."

Mrs Phillips said the small bite mark shown in the photographs did not look like the bite of a german shepherd.

"They tend to use their whole mouth, this is why police use them. Anyone bitten by a police dog usually ends up in hospital."

Mrs Gibbs trains and enters her dogs in shows. "If you put a menacing title on it you take away Joan's hobby," Mrs Phillips said. Mrs Gibbs said Bailey had attended puppy preschool before starting training and obedience classes at 8 weeks old.

Councillor Jonathan Hooker said based on the evidence there was nothing to suggest the complaint was not legitimate.

"I have no problem at all that the bite was inflicted and done by Bailey. I think it's very unfortunate that the integrity of the person has been called into question," Mr Hooker said.

He said council would deliberate and reach a verdict within a few days. In 2009 Mrs Gibbs appeared in the Times-Age after she transformed an aggressive and abused German Shepherd. Bonnie, then aged 5, who had been through seven owners, some of whom had abused her. Through training, the dog went on to win the Canine Hero award at a national dog show that year.