Mum whose husky mauled baby to death in Woodhall Spa avoids losing her job

Karen Alcock's Siberian husky mauled her baby daughter to death in March 2022 Credit: MEN Media

A mother whose husky dog mauled her baby daughter to death has avoided being struck off as a veterinary nurse.

Three-month-old Kyra King was attacked and killed by a Siberian husky while lying in her pram at Ostler's Plantation, near Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire, in March 2022.

Her parents, Karen Alcock and Vince King, were training 19 of their huskies when the incident happened.

They were later charged with owning or being in charge of a dog that was dangerously out of control, causing injury resulting in Kyra's death.

Flowers were left at the site where the baby was attacked Credit: MEN Media

In March last year, Ms Alcock, who is a trained veterinary nurse, was given an eight-month sentence, suspended for two years and was ordered to complete 80 hours of unpaid work.

Last month, she faced a disciplinary committee of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Alex Jamieson, representing Ms Alcock, told the tribunal the tragic circumstances of that night would "always haunt her".

He added: "No fair-minded and informed member of the public appraised of the facts would demand that she be punished further, nor condemn a regulator that properly and compassionately applied the standards."

In a letter to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, Ms Alcock said she had "suffered a personal loss that is indescribable".

"I have not been able to work much (and not in veterinary practice) since Kyra died, however if I feel able, I would like to return to veterinary nursing at some point in the future.

"I do not believe what happened that night impacts my fitness to practise as a veterinary nurse and hope you will consider my conviction compassionately."

The college's disciplinary committee determined that Ms Alcock's conviction did not render her unfit to practise as a registered veterinary nurse.

Mr King was given a 10-month sentence, suspended for two years and was ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work.

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