A court has ordered an illegal fighting dog which savaged a family pet to be put down.
The pit bull terrier and another dog inflicted horrific wounds on 14-year-old Lakeland terrier cross Paddy as he was being walked in woodlands by his owners.
When the two dogs attacked, Paddy's owners tried to beat them away from their beloved pet.
Despite their efforts, they could not prevent Paddy being seriously injured. He was later put to sleep.
Today, prosecutor Kwok Wan told Leicester Magistrates' Court: "It was a very frightening incident.
"Two people were out walking their pet when it was attacked by two dogs that had been let off their leads in woodland off Fludes Lane, in Oadby.
"The attacked dog's owners attempted to free their pet and one of them, Stephen Neal, received minor injuries."
Mr Wan said Paddy was taken to the vets and despite extensive treatment, which cost £1,200, his owners decided it was best to have their pet put to have their pet put down.
The prosecutor said the dogs which launched the attack were owned by a man and a woman.
The woman, Rosy Ashton (30), of Windrush Drive, Oadby, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to possessing a prohibited fighting dog.
She also admitted being in charge of a dog which was dangerously out of control on Saturday, July 26, last year, when the attack took place.
Mr Wan said the pit bull terrier, named Sam, had been declared an illegal fighting dog by a police expert.
He added that Ashton had handed the pit bull terrier over to a rehoming charity after the attack, and it was subsequently seized by the police.
Mr Wan successfully applied for the pit bull to be destroyed.
He said there was a man with Ashton who had another dog which was involved in the attack on Paddy.
The man has denied the charges against him, and is due to go on trial in February, the court heard.
Guy Carter, for Ashton, said his client let the dog off the lead as nobody was about.
"She then heard a scream and ran over to try to separate the dogs," said Mr Carter.
He said Ashton, who had learning disabilities, had bought the pit bull terrier for cash in a car park in Rugby. She said it seemed to have a pleasant temperament and got on well with other dogs, Mr Carter told the court.
He said: "She had never owned a dog before and did not realise it was a prohibited breed. She is full of remorse at what has happened.
"She accepts that owning a dog is too much for her and will never own a dog again."
Mr Ashton said his client attempted to rehome the animal and handed it over to a dog rescue charity in Tilton on the Hill.
He urged the court to accept the probation service's recommendation to impose a conditional discharge on Ashton, and take into consideration her early guilty pleas and previous good character.
The magistrates gave Ashton a conditional discharge for a year, and ordered her to pay £600 compensation to Paddy's owners.
She was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.
