Dogsey

A TAIN woman has become the first person in the Highlands to be banned from keeping or owning dogs after she admitted failing to keep two of her pets - a border collie and a Doberman bull terrier cross - under control.

Irene Williamson (52) of Fountain Road, was placed on a “dog asbo” (anti-social behaviour order) in 2011 requiring her to keep her pet Doberman cross Bruno under proper control after it attacked dogs in gardens in Tain .

Bruno avoided being put down but Williamson was made the subject of a dog control notice under the Control of Dogs Act 2010.

Williamson, who claimed two years ago residents lied about the incidents because she was a traveller, was back in Tain Sheriff Court yesterday, for failing to comply with the court order by allowing her collie Tyson to be off the lead in Victoria Road, Tain, on October 3 last year and Bruno to be off a lead in Fountain Road on October 9.

in another incident, three dogs belonging to Williamson had attacked a pony at Embo in a field.

“The pony sustained serious injuries and required £800 of veterinary treatment and was traumatised.”

The fiscal said Highland Council had received numerous complaints from people, including visitors in Embo, who were repeatedly being chased by the three dogs.

Ms Smith said there had been numerous complaints about the dogs apart from those before the court and the view of Highland Council was they should be assessed and re-homed.