A WOMAN is fighting against the destruction of her out-of-control dog after she commanded it to attack police officers.

Shannon Morrow had appeared at Dumbarton Sheriff Court after previously pleading guilty to releasing her German Shepherd called Droco from a secure room at her home in Parkhall whilst he was displaying aggressive behaviour and allowed him to jump on police officers.

During the incident on November 2 last year, whilst Droco was barking and growling at the officers, Morrow commanded her pet to bite them.

Just over a month later on December 28, she acted in a threatening and abusive manner when she shouted and threatened three cops with violence in her home.

In another incident, the 22-year-old assaulted two police officers and commanded Droco to attack when she released him, which caused the cops to retreat to the garden on January 12 this year.

On the same day, she then commanded the dog to attack a third police officer causing the pet to lunge at him.

She admitted to a further charge of owning a dangerously out-of-control dog when it pursued and lunged at the police constable and behaved in an aggressive manner.

Morrow appeared at Dumbarton Sheriff Court this week where her solicitor was instructed to oppose the disqualification and destruction order for the dog.

The lawyer said: "It was always my intention to address my ladyship on not imposing a destruction order. I received the report from the [animal] behaviour expert and reading that, it is my view that it provides nothing of any value. My view is that the report is flawed in several ways.

"In terms of the report it talks about photographs of injuries. There were no injuries in connection with the incident. I couldn't understand that part of the report. It is a contradictory report."

It was heard in the court that Morrow was not present for the assessment of the behaviour expert report due to a concern for "public safety".

The solicitor continued: "If normally the owner should be attending any assessments and this occasion whether or not she was invited then the report is immediately flawed.

"If the person conducting the report can offer no explanation or evidence as to the owner's compliance over the dog then I am somewhat surprised that it was in the body of the report.

"It was also indicated that Miss Morrow and her family were pestering the kennels. She was quite upset at that [statement]. She attended only once at the kennels and took police advice. She enquired to the police about whether it would be appropriate to bring some toys and they didn't see any problems with that."

Sheriff Sukhwinder Gill said: "Is your client denying phoning the kennel on average 30 to 40 calls a day and that's why the kennel manageress calls the police?"

The lawyer replied: "Correct. I was advised that throughout the stay in the kennels, she called three to four times."

It also heard that Morrow was placed on a community payback order from Glasgow Sheriff Court in June this year for assaulting a doctor by slapping them.

The sheriff added: "This case has to come to an end at some point and it might be the outcome your client won't be very happy about. In my view, I don't need to get another report. I will be upfront and honest about that. I can deal with it today but given what you have told me I am prepared to continue this."

The case was continued until August for Morrow's solicitor to conduct their own animal behaviourist expert report.