PAUL UNDERWOOD AND NICOLA MUCA FROM RUSHDEN SENTENCED FOR DANGEROUS DOG BEHAVIOR

In 2020, Paul Underwood, born circa 1972, and Nicola Muca, also known as Nicki Underwood, born on January 20, 1975, both residents of Balmoral Avenue, Rushden NN10, were found guilty of owning an unsocialised Alaskan Malamute puppy that bit neighbors after twice straying from their home.

As a result of their actions, both individuals are now banned from owning dogs for five years. They received community orders and were prohibited from keeping any dogs until January 2025.

The dog, a one-year-old Malamute named Thor, first attracted police attention in August 2019 after biting a neighbor who tried to return him to his home. The same incident occurred again three months later with a different neighbor.

Thor was confiscated under the Dangerous Dogs Act from Underwood and Muca. The neglectful treatment of Thor, who was not socialised properly, toilet trained, or familiar with dog toys, indicated he had likely endured an abusive environment where raised voice was common.

Thanks to the efforts of Northamptonshire Police’s Dog Section and specially trained officers, Thor was rehabilitated instead of being euthanized. He is now in the process of being rehomed through a dedicated centre.

PC Eva Horn, involved in the investigation, commented, “Thor certainly didn’t have the best start in life and we were determined to try our hardest to ensure he could get to a place where he was able to live the life he deserves. No-one invested in Thor to be a family dog and he was denied socialisation and training. Thor reacted so well to our training and has now become a much more well-rounded dog – all he needed was some love and attention.”