THE council's dogs chief has spoken out after magistrates ordered a dangerous Akita-cross responsible for mauling a terrier should be muzzled.

Swindon Borough Council had applied to have Skylar put down. JPs stopped short of having the year-old dog put to sleep, instead making a stringent control order.

The dog was part of a pair that attacked 16-month-old Border terrier Millie in Angel Ridge park in January.

READ MORE: Terrier Millie was 'ragged like a doll' in unprovoked dog attack, Swindon court hears

Reacting to the sentence, borough council environmental protection officer for animals, Alison Waine, said: “We take cases like this extremely seriously and will apply for a control order where appropriate.

“An application for an order that a dog is destroyed is only made in the most serious cases such as this. However, the final decision rests with the court. We would like to thank all those who provided the evidence that enabled this case to be brought, and we will continue to investigate any dog attack that is reported to us.”