A Magistrate has ordered that a pitbull be put down after it was involved in two vicious attacks -- one of which was fatal for a Fox Terrier.

The dog's owner, Hubert Irving Douglas, Jr., of My Lord's Bay, Hamilton Parish, pleaded guilty to having control of the dog on October 14, 1998 and January 29 this year.

The dog was involved in two incidents in which the Fox Terrier was killed and a horse was attacked.

Senior Magistrate Will Francis heard that on October 14, Michael DeCosta's horse Shadow was attacked while it was in a paddock at Mr. DeCosta's Inwood Stables, in Hamilton Parish.

Junior Crown counsel Veronica Gordon said employees heard a disturbance in the paddock area and eventually cornered a Rottweiler and a pitbull belonging to Douglas.

At one point, Shadow was on its side and the pair were attacking it about the body.

Dog Warden Leonard Simons was called and Douglas went to the Agriculture and Fisheries department where he was told about the incident.

Douglas, 48, has already paid $460 restitution to Mr. DeCosta for the veterinary's bill.

Ms Gordon said that on January 29, two pitbulls attacked next door neighbour Horace Furbert's Fox Terrier which eventually died of its wounds.

One of the dogs was identified as Douglas' and Mr. Simons later found it in Douglas' kennel.

The dogs had fresh blood on them and they had some wounds. Both dogs were seized.

Mr. Francis ordered Douglas to pay Mr. Furbert restitution of $600 for a new dog, $204 for veterinary bills, and $450 in fines.

Douglas told Mr. Francis: "All I could say the dogs have been kept in the proper manner. If they were as vicious as they say no-one would get near them.'' He explained a young man has been taking the dogs while he at work and Mr.

Simons said he had heard a name bandied about but had no proof.

Ms Gordon asked Mr. Francis for a death penalty order for the dog as it was "dangerous and the owner was unable to keep it under proper control''.

Mr. Francis told Douglas the law was only concerned with who had care and control of the dog not who had taken them out of their kennel.

Mr. Francis did ask Douglas what should be done with the dog, and when he got no reply, said: "What should I do? Should I wait until it's a three year old child next time?'' ANIMALS ALS