Yawei Lei: Inverloch fish and chip shop owner pleads guilty over dog attacks

A mum walking her baby in a pram was one of three people attacked by an aggressive dog owned by an Inverloch fish and chip shop owner.

Police with Belgian shepherd dog. Picture: Generic

A mum walking her baby in a pram was attacked by an aggressive dog owned by an Inverloch fish and chip shop owner, a court has heard.

Yawei Li, 47, pleaded guilty at Korumburra Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday to dog attack related charges.

The court heard Li’s Belgian shepherd dog attacked three people in Inverloch within two weeks of each other.

A woman, who was walking with her baby in a pram, was chased by the dog on the corner of Edgar St and Gordon Ave on December 22, 2020.

She became separated from her pram as the dog lunged at her.

The mum was bitten in the chest and sustained a sprained ankle.

The court also heard a couple were aggressively attacked by the same dog on January 1, 2021.

A man was bitten on the right hand and his partner was bitten on the elbow.

Li surrendered the dog to Bass Coast Shire Council and it was put down.

Li’s lawyer Anthony Rosenhain said the father-of-two owned a fish and chip shop in Inverloch and had Melbourne workers stay with him during the summer months.

Mr Rosehain said the dog first escaped because of the poor weather but on the second occasion a worker wasn’t careful with the gate and it escaped from Li’s house.

“He is extremely remorseful and embarrassed of the injuries that were sustained by the individuals,” Mr Rosenhain said.

Magistrate Guillaume Bailin said the attack was distressing for the woman.

“Despite being spoken to by police on that day, proper arrangements weren’t put in place by you such as another incident occurred,” he said

Magistrate Bailin said it was fortunate no-one was seriously injured.

Li was fined $2500 with no conviction.

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