Girl suffered irrational fear after dog attack

A little girl who was bitten by a dog suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder which included symptoms of stupor, irrational fears, hysteric outbursts and bedwetting, a psychotherapist told a court yesterday.

Charles Cassar told a court he had seen the girl, Leanne Camilleri, four times and was working with her to try and eliminate the symptoms.

The last time he had seen her was about three weeks ago and she was still showing signs of irrational fears and bedwetting.

He testified in the case against Dolores Pulo, 44, who is pleaded not guilty to letting her black dog seriously injure the three-year-old girl and slightly injure Emanuel Borg and Alfred Mifsud on August 24 at 9.30 a.m.

She was also charged with failing to keep her dog in control, exercising a presumed right and keeping two dogs without a licence.

Mifsud yesterday testified and explained how he had gone up on the roof to try and sort out a water supply problem when a big black dog bounded up and bit him in the leg.

The dog was followed upstairs by its owner who told him he had left the door to the roof open but Mifsud said he had never seen the dog at the flats and they usually left the door to the roof open if they were up there.

Mifsud said the dog was more than three feet high "more like a tiger than a dog" and even overpowered his owner when she tried to control him.

At the end of the sitting, Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani-Grima ordered Pulo to take the dog out only if muzzled and on a lead.

The case continues.

Police Inspector Joseph Mercieca is prosecuting.

Dr Anglu Farrugia is counsel to Pulo while Dr Matthew Brincat and Dr Robert Vella Baldacchino represented the victims.