Rosanna parks: Dalmatian attacks child, finnish lapphund

A woman has gone before court after her Dutch show dog mauled a four-year-old boy and attacked a dog and its owner in Melbourne’s north. But the dog, which was rescued from Mallacoota during the bushfires, won’t be put down. Find out why.

The second attack took place in Rosanna Parklands.

A large Dutch show dog attacked a four-year-old boy in Melbourne’s north, before mauling another dog and its owner.

But the dalmatian, which was rescued from the Mallacoota bushfires by boat in December, is not yet at risk of being put down.

His owner, Urszula Siemieniuk, 47, went before Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, March 18 over the two unprovoked attacks in Rosanna.

The dalmatian used to participate in shows.

The court heard a four-year-old boy was taken to hospital after he was attacked by the dog, Jinx, in Haward Walkway park on August 23.

The off-lead dalmatian ran towards the boy and inflicted “a serious puncture wound” on his buttock, before Siemieniuk sprinted over to restrain the dog and gave her details to the boy’s father.

Siemieniuk started Jinx in behavioural training in September, but he went on to initiate another attack at Rosanna Parklands on November 13, the court heard.

A man was walking his finnish lapphund on lead when an unrestrained Jinx ran up and grabbed the smaller dog by its neck and wouldn’t let go.

The court heard the man grabbed Jinx to force him to release his dog and was bitten on his right arm.

Siemieniuk also intervened in the fight and her calf was injured, which she says was bitten by the other dog, while Jinx was also bitten.

Siemieniuk then had Jinx castrated to try to stop his aggression.

Jinx came with Siemieniuk when she migrated to Australia with her partner in 2017.

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The court heard the dog used to go in shows in Holland as often as once a week, where it would regularly interact with children.

The five-year-old dog also showed he could interact well with people when he was taken from a Mallacoota beach by ship with a large group of rescuees in December, the court heard.

The court heard Siemieniuk had been distressed by both incidents, was still taking Jinx to training and had no criminal history.

Magistrate Michael McNamara, who noted Jinx had “an unfortunate name”, said he accepted Siemieniuk had done a lot to make sure the incidents weren’t repeated.

“But you can’t afford to have this happen again,” he told her.

“It’s of great concern when kids get bitten by dogs.”

He ordered she pay $2483.80 compensation to Banyule Council and placed her on a 12-month good behaviour bond.