The owner of two dogs involved in a fatal attack on a dog walker has been granted custody of his pets after nearly a year of separation. Natasha Johnston, a dog walker, died from multiple dog bites to the neck, and one of the dogs involved in the attack was a banned Pit Bull Terrier named Stan, which was euthanized.
The other dogs, including a Labradoodle named Cookie and a Sheepadoodle named Shadow, were seized by police and held in private kennels. A judge has now ruled that the owner can have his dogs back without imposing a Control Order under the Dogs Act 1871.
While it was accepted that the Pit Bull was the primary aggressor in the attack, some witnesses suggested that Cookie and Shadow may have been involved, leading to uncertainty about their role in the incident.