Pit bull owner fined in fatal attack on dog

Monday, June 14, 2004 | 9:22 a.m.

A southwest Las Vegas man whose pitbull killed a toy poodle and then bit the dog's owner pleaded no contest Thursday to one misdemeanor charge of failing to restrain the animal.

Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Deborah Lippis found Ruddy Gibbs guilty and ordered him to pay a $300 fine for his negligence. Gibbs voluntarilly gave the dog to animal control officials and had the dog put down shortly after the incident.

Prosecutors dropped the first charge of possessing a dangerous animal in exchange for Gibbs' plea, Justice Court officials said.

Witnesses say Gibbs' pit bull, Coby, went on a "rampage" the afternoon of Dec. 28 after it escaped from the back yard of Gibbs' home in the 8000 block of Lisa Dawn Avenue, near Buffalo Drive and Flamingo Road.

Coby seriously wounded a cocker spaniel before turning the corner and attacking Sharon Selep, 57, and her toy poodle, Baby. The pit bull knocked Selep down, biting her hands, before it turned on the poodle and "ripped her apart," Selep said.

Selep is suing Gibbs for her related medical and therapy bills.

"I'm trying to move forward," said Selep, who has a new puppy, Pimmie. "It just hurts to go through this again and again."