A local woman is fighting to save her pet dog from being destroyed after it launched a fierce attack on another dog and its owner at a Wangaratta home.

A Wangaratta woman and owner of an eight-year-old American staffy appeared at Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court on Monday to plead guilty to being the owner of an unregistered dog which caused serious injury in an incident on 30 November, 2025.

The court heard the staffy was at large along Magnolia Terrace when it jumped a six-foot fence and entered a property.

At the property it attacked another dog, biting it multiple times causing puncture wounds and lacerations.

One of the owners of the injured dog attempted to break up the fight and was attacked themselves by the staffy.

The attack brought upon more than $1800 in vet fees for the victim’s dog to be treated.

The court heard the staffy had also caused serious injury to another animal in a separate incident earlier in 2025.

On 3 December council impounded the staffy and undertook a behavioural assessment, which deemed the dog as a risk to public safety.

An order was put before the court to have the dog ‘destroyed’ with council seeking nearly $7000 restitution for vet, impound and court fees.

Defence counsel Geoff Clancy fought to keep the dog alive, putting the onus on council to declare the dog as dangerous and enforce his client to have strict, caged measures in order to properly house the staffy.

Mr Clancy said at the time of the incident his client was in emergency housing, and she planned to get the dog back when she moved into more stable accommodation next month.

“It is a dog that has given considerable sentimental and emotional support in a time of need for her,” he said.

Mr Clancy said the behavioural assessment of the dog was flawed, having been done while the dog was unsettled in a cage and questioned the qualifications of the expert who performed the assessment.

Magistrate Allison Vaughan said the destruction of an animal should not be considered lightly and its euthanisation was in major consideration.

“This dog is dangerous, she’s attacked a human, another animal in its own environment and scaled a six-foot fence,” she said.

“If the dog jumps another six-foot fence and there’s a toddler on the other side, what happens there?

“I am really concerned about her ongoing behaviour and the contents of the report.”

Magistrate Vaughan accepted Mr Clancy’s submissions and adjourned her sentence to 17 February, to allow more time for both parties to gather more information.