A verdict has been reached in the case of Bandit, a helper dog alleged to have bitten his owner’s neighbours.
On Thursday night, Judge David Stabler of Lancaster ruled that Bandit is a dangerous dog and that he caused serious physical injury when he bit Jillian Durkin.
As of Thursday evening, there is no information on whether Bandit, a 4-year-old Alaskan Malamute, will be humanely euthanized or rehabilitated.
The verdict came after a roughly six-hour hearing in a Lancaster courtroom with several back-and-forths between the prosecution, defence, and the judge.
Several witnesses, including Durkin, who testified that she was bitten by Bandit, and Joshua Gilley, Bandit’s owner, were called to the stand.
During her testimony, Durkin said that Bandit approached her son and a neighbour’s child in her yard. She said that she got in between the dog and the children, grabbing his collar to move him away and that Bandit bit her and held on during the incident.
Her husband, Nicholas Durkin, also testified that he had been bitten by Bandit in a prior incident and alleged that he saw the dog bite Gilley.
Katherine Gallagher, a dog training expert, testified during the hearing that she examined Bandit and believes that, with proper training, he can be rehabilitated. She recommended a series of changes around the house and additional training to prevent further incidents.
Gilley, who took the witness stand last, testified that he suffered a traumatic brain injury and that the dog has helped him get back to normal. He also testified that he has never been bitten by Bandit before nor has he used him as a weapon.
The court ruled on Thursday that the hearing was to determine whether Bandit is dangerous, and his fate has yet to be determined.
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