AN animal owner has been warned by magistrates that her dog could be put down after it attacked a pensioner in Bury.

The Staffordshire bull terrier named Lola, belonging to Rebekka Sheard, bit a 70-year-old man in Vernon Street last August, the town's magistrates were told.

Lola had previously attacked a terrier dog on July 18, which suffered a serious eye injury. A week later, it got into a fight with a shitzu in a back alley.

Afterwards, police cautioned Sheard and advised her to keep the dog under control.

But on August 5 last year, Mr Bill Rennoldson was walking his own French mastiff dog when Lola ran out into the street and attacked the animal.

Lola then jumped up and bit Mr Rennoldson on the hand and he required hospital treatment.

Police said his injuries would have been much more serious had he not been wearing gloves.

Sheard, aged 20, of Topping Fold, Bury, was charged with three counts of owning a dog that was dangerously out of control.

She appeared before Bury magistrates on November 21 and admitted all three counts.

At a further hearing last week, Sheard was ordered to abide by a series of measures and warned that the dog would be put down if she did not.

Sheard must keep the dog under proper control at all times when it is not in her house. When outside, Lola must be kept muzzled and on a lead and must be insured.

Sheard was ordered to pay £600 compensation to Mr Rennoldson as well as £85 court costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

She must also carry out 80 hours of unpaid work.

After the hearing, Sheard said: "I am aware of what the court requires of me and I will follow what they have said.

"Lola is my baby and I won't let anything happen to her.

"She is a good dog, who is mild mannered. She has grown up around people and children and has never attacked them.

"In this case, I was moving a sofa in and had left the front door open.

"There was no front gate on and Lola ran out to go to the other dog. It was unfortunate that the man's hand got between the two dogs."