BAR HARBOR (AP) – Police say a pit-bull mastiff attacked a terrier sitting on its owner’s lap in the courtyard of a Bar Harbor tavern and killed it, resulting in civil charges against the larger dog’s owner.

Jennifer Neuman faces a civil charge of keeping a dangerous dog following the incident early Friday at the Dog and Pony Tavern, which has a courtyard where people can bring dogs.

Police say Neuman’s leashed dog, Tank, snapped up a Yorkshire terrier named Yoda as it sat on its owner’s lap and took off. Bystanders got the smaller dog free but it died before they could get it to a veterinarian.

Neuman, who’s 23 and is living in Bar Harbor for the summer, is to appear in Ellsworth District Court Sept. 2.

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Information from: Bangor Daily News, http://www.bangornews.com

AP-ES-06-16-08 1041EDT