mangled her niece's small bull terrier, which was tethered in its yard.

Miss Wornell Dears repeatedly hit her cane against the pit bull called Assassin as it bit down on the snout of her dog Marsden.

But her efforts were in vain. Marsden's wounds were so bad, he was later put down.

Police are currently preparing a report for possible charges against Assassin's owner, Mr. Anthony Charles Leader. Assassin is in the custody of the Government Dog Warden.

The attack occurred on Tuesday in Miss Dears' yard on Border Dell in Devonshire.

It is the second attack by Assassin this year. In April, Assassin had to be pulled off the snout of Rusty, a German shepherd, which also had been fastened on a chain in its yard.

Following the attack, Government served Mr. Leader with an order requiring him to keep Assassin in an enclosed yard attached to a stainless steel running line.

Yesterday, a sad Miss Dears recalled her desperate battle to save Marsden as terrified onlookers stood by.

She was drawn to her back yard by the sounds of commotion and "suffering'', she said. The brown pit bull was on top of Marsden, gripping his jaw.

"I couldn't let him stay there and kill him, so I went and got a walking stick.'' Some neighbours tried to stop her. They called Police.

Miss Dears began hitting the pit bull and trying to pull her dog's chain loose.

"I kept hitting him in the head. It seemed like ages before he let go. I pounded him so,'' she said.

Marsden freed himself and ran to the back steps. His jaw had been badly torn.

Assassin went after him and the dogs spilled onto the lane.

Miss Dears again had to swing her cane to get the pit bull off her dog.

"I hit him again and again,'' she said.

It was then that Mr. Leader came onto the scene and took Assassin back to his yard.

Police later took possession of the dog.

Mr. Leader yesterday defended his dog. He said neighbours, including one of his tenants, had left gates open on his property which allowed Assassin to get out.

Assassin is normally kept in the highest part of the yard which is fenced in.

There are two more lower sections, also fenced in.

Mr. Leader said Assassin had climbed atop his dog house and slipped off, causing him to hang by his leash.

A man who saw the dog thrashing came around to help. With the help of one of Mr. Leader's tenants, they entered the yard, passing through two gates. In the meantime, Mr. Leader said Assassin had slipped through his collar in the lower yard.

When the two men saw Assassin, they turned tail leaving the gates open.

"I know this is the second time this has happened,'' Mr. Leader said.

"He's done serious damage to another dog before.

"But I feel the dog should not be put down, due to the two individuals who entered his yard when they were not supposed to.'' Mr. Leader did not accept the two men entered to help the dog who was struggling from his leash.

"I would rather have come home and found the dog hanging. If he was hanging, so be it,'' he said. "The incident should not have happened. The dog would have had to get through two gates, if it wasn't for them. I'm going to fight like hell to get my dog back.'' And Mr. Leader warned: "If I don't, I'm going to get two more of the same kind. The dog's innocent.'' Yesterday, Miss Dears could only think of Marsden.

"He was an affectionate little dog. He would sit in his kennel and keep a look-out for me. I could talk to him. He'd look at me and wag his tail. I'm very sad.'' DOG TRAGEDY -- Mrs. Wornell Dears stands by the kennel of her niece's bull terrier, which was mauled by a pitbull terrier on Border Dell, Pembroke this week.

Assassin