Peter Foster refuses to appear in court over dog mauling

A Ballarat dog owner skipped a court hearing involving his two staffies mauling a Maltese poodle after escaping his yard.

A Ballarat dog owner whose two pet staffies mauled a Maltese poodle has been slugged with a fine after he ignored prosecutors and skipped court.

The Ballarat Magistrates’ Court heard on Thursday that two Staffordshire terriers escaped their owner’s home on Skipton St on the evening of February 8 this year by jumping a back fence.

They entered the front yard of a home on South St and attacked a “moodle” – a Maltese poodle – named Sunny.

A passer-by helped secure the staffies, owned by Peter Foster, who the court heard did not respond to correspondence by City of Ballarat prosecutors, and who did not appear for his court hearing.

Sunny was brought to Eureka Veterinary Clinic, bleeding “profusely” from multiple injuries, including “full thickness puncture wounds”.

She also had bruising and soft tissue damage.

Vet fees totalled $1635.05.

Foster was convicted and fined $3000.