[dogs4life]

Two pit bull terriers that savaged a 70-year-old woman's pet dog to death on Christmas morning have been put to sleep.
The killer dogs attacked wheelchair-bound Mary Janette Burgess's Highland Terrier Prince while he was tethered to a leash in her garden.

With her family out at a church service, Mrs. Burgess, of Rocky Lane West, Hamilton Parish, had to fight one of the animals off when it tried to attack her too.

The pit bulls, which belonged to a neighbour, were subsequently euthanised on December 30. Government animal warden Harry Bean said: "The owner had no problem signing them over because of the nature of this incident."

Mrs. Burgess said: "I am pleased to hear this as I would not want anyone else to go through what I have been through. Nothing could ever take the place of Prince. I still miss him – he was my baby."
A prosecution could still take place over the incident, although Mrs. Burgess said that she might not favour this route if the pit bull owner compensates her for the expenses of Prince's emergency veterinary treatment.

Although pit bull type dogs are banned from being imported and bred in Bermuda, the animals in question were being kept legally as they were born before the ban came into force.

By Elizabeth Roberts
The Royal Gazette