Woman fronts court after her dogs maul jogger in Point Cook

A woman whose two dogs mauled a female runner in Point Cook has fronted court over the vicious attack, which left the victim needing surgery.

A woman has been fined by a magistrate after her dogs mauled a jogger in Point Cook last year. Picture: generic

A woman whose dogs mauled a jogger in Point Cook last year has been slapped with a $650 fine over the nasty attack which left the victim with her arm "ripped open".

The dogs' owner Anna Gillespie, 35, yesterday pleaded guilty in the Werribee Magistrates' Court over the incident on October 15 last year.

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The court heard the 25-year-old victim was running along Saltwater Promenade about 7.30pm when staffordshire terrier Jebediah clamped his jaws around her left forearm.

As the woman was trying to free herself, bull mastiff-cross, Leroy, jumped up and bit her right armpit.

After struggling with Jebediah for a short time the victim pulled her arm from his teeth, ripping the flesh.

Witnesses to the attack stopped to help the victim, with one man using his shirt to try and stem the bleeding.

The wound required surgery.

The court heard the dogs were with a hired dog walker, and were leashed at the time of the attack, but the walker told investigating officers she didn't want to pull back on the lead as she thought it would cause more damage.

Ms Gillespie's lawyer told the court his client was "shocked and upset" by what had happened but the incident had been "completely out of the blue".

"My client has had the dogs for about 10 years and had not seen aggression in either of them before this and there have been no incidents since," he said.

"But she is certainly upset this random and awful thing happened.

"She wasn't in control of the dogs at the time and I'm not sure there was anything much my client could do to prevent this in those circumstances."

The dog walker was last month sentenced to a 12-month good behaviour bond but Magistrate Therese McCarthy yesterday said dog owners were ultimately responsible for their pets in such cases.

"I am aware you were not present (during the attack) and you are completely devastated by what has happened but ultimately it is the registered dog owner who has overarching responsibility," she said.

Ms McCarthy fined Ms Gillespie $650 without conviction and ordered her to pay the council's court costs of $1400.

The fate of the dogs — who are still in the care of Ms Gillespie — is still to be determined, with the council planning to seek a dangerous dog declaration for Jebediah and a menacing dog declaration for Leroy.