EMILY MACE FROM KINGSTEIGNTON SENTENCED FOR DANGEROUS DOG ATTACKS IN NEWTON ABBOT AND KINGSTEIGNTON

Emily Mace, born around the year 2000 and residing in Little Barton, Kingsteignton, was recently convicted of serious offences related to her handling and training of dogs that resulted in multiple attacks, some of which were life-threatening. Her actions have drawn significant attention from law enforcement and animal welfare authorities in the Newton Abbot area, particularly around Kingsteignton.

In August 2021, a distressing incident occurred at Long Barton playing fields when Janet Collins was walking her miniature schnauzer, Lola. During this walk, Mace was present, throwing a ball for her large Mastiff-type dog, Conan, an Alsatian/Mastiff cross, along with another dog named Honcho. As Miss Collins passed by, Conan unexpectedly bit Lola on her rear, prompting her to lift her dog to protect her. However, Conan did not cease his aggression and continued to jump up, biting Miss Collins on her arm, puncturing her skin and causing significant bruising. She also sustained injuries to her hand in the attack.

Despite the severity of the incident, Mace left the scene without showing much concern, instructing Miss Collins to remain still during the attack. Later, police arrested her in connection with the incident. During questioning, Mace claimed that her dogs made her feel safe, a statement that was met with disbelief by the victim, who described the encounter as the most terrifying experience of her life. Miss Collins expressed her shock at Mace’s cold and indifferent attitude at the scene, emphasizing that her dog was clearly dangerous and capable of causing serious harm.

Several months after these events, Mace attempted to rehome a greyhound named Blake. Unfortunately, her failure to properly supervise the animals led to a tragic outcome. When Blake was introduced into her household, which included Conan and another dog, Luna, the situation quickly turned violent. Conan was under a dog behaviour order requiring him to be tethered in the garden, but Mace had negligently placed a loose, inadequate collar on him. Ignoring warnings that Blake was distressed by the presence of the larger dogs, she allowed them to interact. This decision resulted in a brutal attack captured on video by a neighbor, where Conan and Luna went into 'prey mode,' holding Blake down, locking their jaws, and viciously ripping at his throat.

In the chaos, Mace managed to pull the bleeding greyhound away and confined him in a shed while she contacted veterinary services. The veterinarian’s assessment revealed that Blake had lost approximately one liter of blood and was in a critical condition. Despite efforts to save him, Blake was ultimately euthanized due to the severity of his injuries.

Further investigations revealed that Mace had posted videos on Facebook demonstrating her aggressive training techniques, which highlighted her apparent lack of understanding of the risks her dogs posed or how to properly train them. The court heard that her actions and training methods showed a complete disregard for animal safety and welfare.

She pleaded guilty to charges of having a dog dangerously out of control, which caused injury, and was convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to a greyhound by failing to prevent him from being attacked by other dogs. Mace, who is currently pregnant, has since left her residence and employment, partly due to online abuse following her convictions. Despite her actions, some references described her as an animal lover and a kind individual eager to work with probation services. A pre-sentence report indicated that her remorse appeared superficial.

Judge Anna Richardson addressed the court, stating that Mace had trained her dogs to be aggressive and that she should have intervened during the initial terrifying incident. The court also considered the future of Conan, with a later hearing to decide whether he should be destroyed. As part of her sentence, Mace received a 22-month custodial sentence suspended for two years, along with 20 days of rehabilitation activities. She was ordered to pay £500 in compensation and was banned from keeping dogs for 15 years, reflecting the seriousness of her actions and the danger posed by her animals.