Woman fined $5000 over serious dog attacks which left man and City of Rockingham ranger wounded

A woman has been fined $5000 after her dogs were involved in two serious attacks in Baldivis which left a man with a wound 4cm long and 3cm deep. Andrea Stephenson, 58, appeared before Rockingham Magistrates Court on December 16, charged with four counts of dog attack or chase causing physical injury. City of Rockingham prosecutor Tamara Simmons told the court the complainant was walking his Jack Russell Melva about 5pm on August 25. As Stephenson pulled into her garage, her two dogs ran out towards the man and his dog. The complainant yelled out to Stephenson to “grab your dogs”, but Stephenson’s dog Jax bit into Melva’s rear, tearing her flesh. Stephenson rushed out in an attempt to stop the attack and the complainant attempted to grab Stephenson’s other dog Lady by the collar, but she kept getting away. The complainant then picked up Melva in an attempt to stop the dogs from attacking, but the attack continued and he was bitten on the left side of the genital area, the right hip, elbow and arm. Stephenson was able to get her dogs inside and the complainant’s dog was taken to Baldivis Vet Hospital, where she received stitches. The complainant was taken to Fiona Stanley Hospital where he was treated for bite wounds, including one 4cm long and 3cm deep. The second incident occurred just days later when on August 29 a ranger from the City of Rockingham went to Stephenson’s home to assess both Lady and Jax. After a brief conversation with Stephenson, the victim got up from her seat and made her way over to the dogs. The ranger had a microchip scanner in one hand and was about to scan Jax when he lunged at her growling and bit down on her right arm with force. The victim was able to pull away but was left with a large red puncture wound. Stephenson was able to secure the dogs behind a gate and the victim made her way outside, where she called for assistance from other rangers. Both dogs were seized by the City of Rockingham and the victim was taken to Rockingham General Hospital. Stephenson, who was self-represented in court, said she was devastated and sorry about what had happened. “I had pulled into the garage and opened my boot to take out groceries and they jumped out of the back seat,” Stephenson said. “It all just happened so fast.” Stephenson said she had received both dogs as rescue dogs. She had owned Jax for five years and Melva for three-and-a-half and had never had anything like this happen before. Stephenson said both incidents were “scary for everyone involved”. Magistrate Vivien Edwards said the events that occurred “would have been very terrifying”. “There needs to be a clear message sent to others to take appropriate control of their animals,” Ms Edwards said. Stephenson was fined $5000 and ordered to pay $291.30 in court costs.