Gary Mulligan whose XL bully mauled Yorkshire terrier to death in Glasgow handed ten year dog ban

A man whose XL bully mauled a pet to death has been disqualified from owning dogs for ten years.

Gary Mulligan’s pet Zuko attacked a woman and killed her Yorkshire terrier in Glasgow’s Castlemilk on May 1 2023.

Zuko leapt on the 63-year-old who fell to the ground and landed on her wrist.

The dog then latched onto the woman’s pet who grasped it in his jaw and shook it violently.

The Yorkshire terrier suffered puncture wounds to the kidney and later died.

The woman’s wrist was broken in two places which required to have a metal plate inserted.

Mulligan, 28, of Castlemilk, arrived at the scene at speed in a car and claimed someone left the door open and Zuko got out.

He pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to being the owner of a dog which was dangerously out of control.

Sheriff John McCormick ordered the self-employed joiner to do 300 hours of unpaid work as well as imposing the dog ban.

He said: “Those who choose to have such animals as pets must accept responsibilities and consequences that flow from that.

“You say you recognise the consequences of the offences but your attitude to the sentencing process leaves me with doubt about that.

“This is a direct alternative to custody following the gravity of the offence which is to severe injury.

“This is due to your lack of record which contains no analogous previous convictions and you pled guilty at an early stage.”

The court heard the woman was walking in the area with her two-year-old great niece and her four-year-old dog.

Zuko – described as large with a heavy muscular build – was spotted unsupervised in the distance.

The woman felt intimidated and decided to walk away.

Prosecutor Katie Bell said: “The large dog started running towards the witness’ dog.

“[The woman] attempted to pick her dog up to protect it but the large dog jumped up her causing her to fall and she landed on her wrist.

“When she fell, [the woman] dropped her dog and the large dog was able to get to it and immediately started biting at it, grasping it in its jaw and shaking it violently.”

Attempts were made to get Zuko to lose its grip but it was to no avail.

The attack only stopped after Zuko spotted another smaller dog and went after it.

The woman’s dog was taken to the vets while a witness who stayed behind noticed Mulligan arrive in a car who was identified as the Zuko’s owner.

The woman was later told by the vet that her dog had succumbed to its injuries and died.

Mulligan was traced meantime and told officers: “My dog got out today, someone left the close door open.”

Zuko was later put down on medical grounds as he suffered from a breathing condition.

It was reported that the woman had suffered a broken wrist in two places which required metal plate surgery and required her to wear a medical brace.

Marisa Borland, defending, told the sentencing that her client accepts that he left his door open and did not put proper measures in place.

She said: “He accepts full responsibility for the dog being out with his control and has appropriate contrition and empathy about what took place and that it took place in front of a small child.

“He accepts that it is a serious offence.”

Sheriff McCormick replied: “The public are very alive to people who choose to have a pet of this nature and those who do must accept the consequences of falling to look after them properly.”

The sheriff also imposed a restriction of liberty order keeping Mulligan indoors between 7pm and 7am for six months.

Ms Borland earlier asked the court to defer the start of the tag as Mulligan has a short pre-booked holiday to Ireland next week.

Sheriff McCormick responded: “This will have to be forfeited. This is an alternative to a custodial sentence.”