Cork woman fined after Bichon Frisé dog bit neighbour

The 71-year-old defendant said the dog was now muzzled when out in public and she had also brought it for behaviour training

The court was told that the dog jumped up and bit the injured party causing a minor wound. File photo: Gareth Chaney/Collins

A Cork woman whose Bichon Frisé-cross dog bit her neighbour has been convicted of failing to control the animal.

Sergeant Tom Mulcahy told Clonakilty District Court that gardaí received a report from an injured party on June 27, 2025, that they had been bitten by a dog in Clonakilty.

The court heard the injured party was walking near his home in Clonakilty when he encountered his neighbour Elizabeth Pendleberry, aged 71, of St Vincents Place, Clonakilty. 

The court was told the injured party spoke to Pendleberry who had her Bichon Frisé-cross dog on a lead. The court was told that the dog jumped up and bit the injured party causing a minor wound and the man reported the incident to gardaí.

Pendleberry said the dog was now muzzled when out in public and she had also brought it for behaviour training. She said the dog was defensive of her and on the day in question she was going out to her car in the rain. 

She said she stopped to talk to her neighbour who then “walked across” her and the dog reacted defensively. She told the court that she had had a difficult year following the death of her daughter.

The court heard that Pendleberry had no previous convictions, and had a licence for the dog. 

Judge Joanne Carroll offered her sympathy to Pendleberry for her loss. She said that she had to convict her for failing to control the dog contrary to Section 9 of the Control of Dogs Act, 1986 and fined Pendleberry €100 allowing four months to pay the fine.

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.