THE OWNER of a dog that chased ponies and attempted to bite them in St Leonards has been made subject to a court order.
On April 29, 2025, two independent witnesses reported seeing a dog chasing ponies around a paddock in the St Leonards area.
The dog was observed attempting to bite the ponies’ tails and back legs, and at one point a pony lay down in apparent exhaustion after being pursued.
A member of the public intervened and managed to chase the dog away. None of the ponies were injured.
Police enquiries identified the dog as an Anatolian shepherd owned by Metin Yildirim, 43, of St Leonards.
Yildirim had previously received written warnings regarding his dog being out of control.
In total, more than 20 reports had been made about incidents involving the dog, including concerns from members of the public as well as issues involving other dogs and livestock.
On January 9, Dorset Council issued Yildirim with a Community Protection Notice requiring any dog he owned, or kept at his address, to be under adequate control at all times when outside his property.
This included being kept on a lead or fitted with a suitable muzzle. The conditions of this notice were subsequently ignored.
Yildirim appeared before Poole Magistrates’ Court on April 23, where he was made subject to an order under Section 2 of the Dogs Act 1871.
The order requires the dog must be kept under control at all times in public, including being on a short, fixed lead and wearing a suitable muzzle.
It also states that no person under the age of 16 should be left alone with the dog. Yildirim must ensure his home and any outdoor areas accessible to the dog are secure to prevent escape.
Additional conditions include securing the dog before opening the door to visitors or delivery drivers and displaying warning signs at all entry and exit points of the property. Anyone else in control of the dog must comply with the order.
If ownership is transferred, the new owner must be informed of the conditions and police notified.
Police constable Lauren Middleton, of Dorset Police’s Rural Crime Team, said: “This dog owner ignored repeated warnings in relation to his dog being out of control and causing a nuisance to the public, other dogs and livestock.
“We take reports of out of control dogs seriously as we know they can pose a risk to the public and we also recognise the impact of livestock worrying on animals and their owners.
“We have taken positive action to secure a court order and if the defendant is found in breach of the conditions, he is liable to be brought back before the courts and could face a prison sentence of up to five years.”
Share