after appearing in Magistrates' Court.

Adam Hawley, of Jennings Road, Smith's Parish, yesterday pleaded guilty to the charge of keeping a dog which caused injury to another animal.

The incident happened last Tuesday when Hawley's two dogs, an Akita and a cross breed, broke through the electronic fencing of their home, dashed across to a neighbouring property and savaged a Yorkshire terrier. The attack was so severe that the animal had to be put down.

In court yesterday, Hawley initially claimed that he should not be fined because he did not knowingly let the dogs loose.

But Senior Magistrate Will Francis replied: "If you have a big Rottweiller and I have a small poodle and your big Rottweiller comes over to my small poodle and the two don't get along, my poodle's in a lot of trouble.'' Hawley also explained how he had tried and failed to reach an out-of-court settlement with the dead dog's owners, George and Cindy Correia.

Mr. Francis ordered him to pay $645 compensaton to the Correias.

ANIMALS ALS