Vic death row dog gets stay of execution
A dog on death row has received a stay of execution after lawyers struck an agreement with the Victorian council that wants to put her down.
Staffordshire terrier Izzy was seized by the Knox City Council more than a year ago after being deemed aggressive, and has been at the RSPCA since.
She was due to be euthanased on Thursday.
Lawyers for her owner Tania Isbester have been given more time to file a High Court application for leave to appeal previous decisions that ruled against saving the dog.
Barristers Animal Welfare Panel founder Graeme McEwen said the application would be filed by the end of the week but was unlikely to be heard this year.
He said the panel, which is working pro bono for Ms Isbester, challenged the mindset of councils which view euthanasia as a management tool.
"Dogs should not be collateral victims," Mr McEwan said.
Ms Isbester had three Staffordshire terriers, including Izzy, which were involved in attacks on other dogs after continually escaping from her backyard in outer suburb The Basin.
She last year pleaded guilty to a number of charges under the Domestic Animals Act 1994, including that Izzy caused a serious injury to a person.
The injury was a 1.5cm laceration on the middle finger of a woman allegedly bitten when she tried to pull the Staffordshire terrier off her daughter's dog.
The woman told a council hearing her children wouldn't walk in the area and were scared of dogs.
