Bristol Crown Court gave 24-year-old Kelcie Reed an 18-week prison term suspended for 18 months after she admitted being in charge of an XL bully that killed her cousin Morgan Dorsett.
February 2025's attack at Reed's south Bristol flat left 19-year-old Dorsett with fatal neck and face injuries; the judge said Dorsett had cocaine in her system, acted erratically and screamed at the dog before it attacked.
Reed tried to stop the attack and suffered cuts and bruises, while the dog, Prince, was sedated at the scene and later destroyed; the court also ordered Reed to undergo mental health treatment.
Dorsett's mother and sister told the court the family still lives "under a shadow," and her sister said Reed had shown little remorse in the 18 months since the killing.
The family is now working with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to close loopholes in banned-breed rules, including cases where a dog lives with someone other than the exemption certificate holder.