Dog opened door with paw to attack postman

The owner of a rottweiler which used its paw to open a door and attack a postman was yesterday fined £150. The fine was imposed on William McClelland, the owner of Missy, a five-year-old rottweiler, which attacked postman Mark Nicholl outside the defendant's Caw Hill Park home in the Waterside area of Londonderry last December 3.

Derry District Judge Barney McElholm said he was not making a destruction order in relation to Missy because the dog's owner had no previous convictions. A solicitor representing Derry City Council, the prosecuting body, said the postman sustained injuries to his left arm and elbow when Missy attacked a labrador dog which was following Mr Nicholl.

She said the postman was injured when he went to help the labrador dog. “An environmental health officer said that the rottweiler would be easily controlled when inside the house,” the solicitor said. A defence solicitor said Missy was a family pet which regularly played with the defendant's grandchildren. “It is not in the dog's nature to attack people. Missy is normally kept in the back garden.

On this occasion the owner had earlier opened the door to collect a package. He didn't lock the door and Missy used her paw to push down the handle and get out. “My client has taken this so seriously that he has moved Missy to a purpose-built pound at Drumahoe which is owned by his son”, she said.” Imposing a fine of £150 the District Judge said he was satisfied that “appropriate steps have been taken by Mr McClelland to ensure there is no repetition”.