There will be no further appeal to save the life of a death-row dog that attacked a tourist in Angus, The Courier can reveal.
Rottweiler Kai bit a Canadian visitor on the arms and leg in the street in Montrose last year.
The three-year-old dog went missing from a Fife kennels at the weekend, prompting a police appeal for residents to be careful if they saw the animal.
Judges at Edinburgh’s Sheriff Appeal Court upheld the order to destroy the dog made in November last year at Forfar Sheriff Court.
Hopes for a further appeal to save the dog from its destruction order are now lost.
Kai’s former owner Wendy Ross said she found the news of the dog’s disappearance “upsetting”.
“I only found out that Kai was missing half an hour ago,” she said on Monday.
“They have wanted to kill Kai for months and months but we had the appeal to go through first.
“My solicitor has been very helpful but we need £1,000 for another appeal, right now.
“I don’t think it can be done.”
Fife Constabulary said the dog was unlikely to have eaten since it went missing on Thursday and may be distressed.
The animal, which was in the care of Langdyke Boarding Kennels, escaped during a walk in woodland between Langdyke and Bonnybank.
It is claimed Kai was on a lead but was startled and ran off.
The force could not confirm claims Kai was found yesterday.
James Ryan, 63, of Montrose, not the dog’s owner, was found guilty at Forfar Sheriff Court of being in charge of a dangerously out of control dog when it bit Charles Andrews on the leg and arms in Lower Hall Street, Montrose, on June 11 last year.
The court was told the dog attacked as it was “protective” of a child it was walking beside.
Appeal judges ruled that Kai still constituted a threat to the public and supported Sheriff Gregor Murray’s sentencing.
Finding Ryan guilty, he said: “It is a matter of considerable regret that I consider Kai would constitute a danger to public safety.
“I have every sympathy for Ms Ross but the fact is the legislation compels me.”
