'I still get nightmares': Dangerous dog named Buddy remains at large after he was stolen from the pound - amid fears he may attack again
- A bull mastiff attacked two people on two separate occasions in Geraldton, WA
- The bull mastiff bit into a man's leg before he fell over and had his leg bitten
- After being taken to the pound he was stolen and his whereabouts is unknown
- The dog's owner was fined $3,000 and ordered to pay court costs of $5,000
A dangerous dog named Buddy, who viciously attacked two people, remains on the loose after he was stolen from the pound.
The bull mastiff first attacked a teenage boy near Geraldton in Western Australia in June 2016, and was declared a dangerous dog.
Soon after the incident, the dog's owner Anthony Thomas Farrell, received a letter from the City of Greater Geraldton detailing the conditions of keeping a dangerous dog.
A dangerous dog named Buddy (pictured), who viciously attacked two people, remains on the loose after he was stolen from the pound - and there are fears he will strike again
This week, the Geraldton Magistrates Court heard Buddy lunged at Garry James (pictured), 36, as he was walking with his partner in Geraldton. The dog bit Mr James' stomach and leg
According to the ABC, a dangerous dog needs to be muzzled and there needs to be signs at the dog's home warning that he lived there.
Despite being warned to keep the dog restrained, in February 2018 Buddy lunged at Garry James as he was walking with his partner to a service station.
This week the Geraldton Magistrates Court heard Buddy viciously attacked Mr James, 36, and bit him on the stomach.
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The attack caused him to fall to the ground, before the bull mastiff then bit him on the back of the leg.
'It was pitch black, I couldn't see it coming,' Mr James said outside court on Monday.
'I was terrified. It was probably one of the worst nights I've had in my life. I still get nightmares.'
Mr James said he held grave fears the dog would attack a child and could do even more damage to them.
Mr Farrell, 53, was convicted and surrendered Buddy to the pound, but less than 24 hours later someone broke into the facility and Buddy was stolen.
Following the first attack, Buddy's owner Anthony Thomas Farrell was ordered by the council to muzzle the dog and to put signs at his home warning that a dangerous dog lived there. Mr Farrell was fined $3,000 and ordered to pay court costs of $5,500
The whereabouts of the dangerous bull mastiff are still unknown but authorities will seek to destroy him once he is found.
Mr Farrell was on Monday found guilty of a dog attack or chase causing physical injury over the attack on Mr James in 2018.
He was also found guilty of failing to ensure his dog wore a muzzle, failing to ensure control and failing to notify the local government of the attack.
Magistrate Sandra De Maio said the case sent a message to the public that those who own a dangerous dog need to comply with strict conditions.
'[The dog] should not have been in a position where he attacked someone again,' she said.
Mr Farrell was slapped with a hefty fine of $3,000 and was ordered to pay court costs of $5,500.
