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Would you report them?

53 replies

MamaLazarou · 28/07/2009 12:26

My sister is about to marry a hopeless racist loser - that's a whole other story, though.

They bought an illegal dog (American Pit Bull) from a breeder near where they live. Ridiculous, since they live in a tiny, third storey two-bedroomed council flat with three young kids and three cats. My sister claims that she didn't know it was an illegal dog when she bought it.

The two youngest kids (aged 1 and 4) were terrified of the dog, so they gave it to the DF's mum. My sister and her DF take the kids over to visit the DF's mum regularly and the baby plays with the dog. The idea of this just makes my blood run cold. I have expressed my concerns to my sister, but she says that it's fine, as the family keep the dog sedated (I feel certain that this counts as mistreatment towards the animal but can't prove it).

I want to report the breeder, and asked my sister for the address, but she can't remember it. I can, however, find out where the dog lives, and report the owners. Everyone would know it was me, as I have been upfront about my concerns.

Would you report these people for owning a dangerous dog?

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Tamarto · 28/07/2009 12:28

Yes i would, if something happens to someone could you live with knowing you could have stopped it?

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Tamarto · 28/07/2009 12:29

They wouldn't know it was you unless you told them, although they may have their suspicions.

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HecatesTwopenceworth · 28/07/2009 12:30

Yes I would.

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randomtask · 28/07/2009 12:30

I would be TBH, you could claim not knowing anything about it as it could be a neighbour. It's illegal to have it, it could hurt your nieces/nephews and it's nasty to keep a dog sedated. Have you thought about telling the RSPCA? They'd probably deal with it better than the police.

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unavailable · 28/07/2009 12:31

Yes, I hope I would, whatever the family ructions it could cause.

That breed of dog could easily kill a child.

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MamaLazarou · 28/07/2009 12:32

Yes, if I report it, it will deffo be to the RSPCA.

Thanks for all your feedback - I guess I just wanted reassurance that I wasn't being OTT.

"it could hurt your nieces/nephews"

This is what keeps me awake at night.

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Alambil · 28/07/2009 12:32

Yes - it's illegal and these dogs are bred to attack.... it's sad to see healthy dogs put down but the risk is miles too big

My mum and I were watching a telly programme the other day where they impounded some pitbul puppies. They were only 10 weeks old or something and I asked my mum (who is a v well trained dog trainer - think Dog Whisperer; she gets those results) if they could be saved and trained and trusted... She said no, it's in their makeup now to fight and attack. It's far too big a risk to take, even with the best trainer handling them

so after all that waffle, yes, I'd report them.

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paisleyleaf · 28/07/2009 12:33

That messing about with sedation sounds extra worrying
...I think you have to.
Have you talked to anyone else about it?

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MamaLazarou · 28/07/2009 12:36

I haven't talked to anyone else about it. My sister has only told me that it is actually an illegal breed, no-one else. I think she thought I would be impressed

The sedation bit worries me, too. It sounds so sad.

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Rindercella · 28/07/2009 12:40

WTF would someone have a dog that they need to keep sedated? Some people never fail to amaze me.

You are definitely doing the right thing. A friend's 11 month old baby got attacked by another friend's dog (rottweiler cross, couped up in a tiny flat ) and needed 40 stitches in his face. An illegal breed of dog should not be kept in a confined space with small children. Unfortuantely you see the very sad consequences of cush things a couple of times a year.

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LIZS · 28/07/2009 12:41

It is cruel as well as illegal for both breeeder and keeper. Report to RSPCA that you are concerned about the dog's living conditions and suitability with children and let them take it further. If you do nothing and something happened how would you feel ?

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paisleyleaf · 28/07/2009 12:43

Sad, but also scarey. Like messing with a dangerous dog's mind....could that make him more psychotic or something? I don't know.
It COULD have been reported by a neighbour or someone - not necessarily you.
But it's perhaps a risk worth you taking anyway.

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LuluMaman · 28/07/2009 12:43

without a second's hesitation

how fucking stupid and irresponsible

i would report the breeder, and frankly your family for keeping a dangerous dog

having to keep the dog sedated is ridicolous

you won't forgive yourself if anything happened to a child due the dog becoming aggressive

i am stunned at the stupidity to which some people will go to

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claricebeansmum · 28/07/2009 12:44

Phone the RSPCA and express your concerns.

Give as much information as you feel happy to.

They are like the fire brigade - prefer to be called out to a false alarm than not be called at all. They can take the appropriate action. I just do not understand why people have these dogs. It's so sad that the a re brought into the world in the first place.

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MyCatIsABiggerBastardThanYours · 28/07/2009 12:44

Yes, I would report it. If I were you I would do it for the childrens safety if nothing else (also, how can it be kind to keep a dog drugged/sedated and what happens wheh they forget AND what the hell are they sedating it with? Can't be anything legal from the vets).

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bella21 · 28/07/2009 12:44

No brainer - report.

You can call RSPCA in confidence if you don't want to go to the police.

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SoupDragon · 28/07/2009 12:44

Yes, I would report them but are you sure it's an American Pit Bull and not an American bulldog?

The sedation thing is worrying though - that alone deserves reporting to the RSPCA

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Rindercella · 28/07/2009 12:45

such things - small child on lap!

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MamaLazarou · 28/07/2009 12:48

Yes, deffo a pit bull, I am afraid.

Thanks for all your comments - I am definitely going to report it.

Thanks very much everyone.

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diedandgonetodevon · 28/07/2009 12:48

Yes, I would report them without hesitation.

The fact that the dog is sedated is especially worrying. I'd be concerned that a dog not in it's right senses would be more inclined to be a danger regardless of breed.

I'm sure you can report it annonymously- surely they have to take the dog out to walk it and American Pitbulls are quite distinctive so any member of the public could have spotted and reported. They don't have to know it was you.

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SueMunch · 28/07/2009 12:49

Defeinately report it to the police.

Crimestoppers is a completely anonymous way to do this. It won't take long.

www.crimestoppers-uk.org/

Imagine the guilt you would feel if anything happened to those kids

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diedandgonetodevon · 28/07/2009 12:49

oops, too slow as usual.

I think you've made the right choice!

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KingCanuteIAm · 28/07/2009 12:53

Report them to RSPCA - including the sedating.

AFAIK sedation can become less effective over time too - ie if they let it come round it may become harder to put it under each time and so on. (Bella, is that right???)

Also, dogs under sedation could be more unpredictable as they are in a fearful and stressful state.

Finally it is a terrible thing to do to an animal, sedating it then letting a baby play with it... horrid behaviour.

WRT pit bulls being dangerous, as with any other breed, some are some are not, with Pit Bulls there is a higher %age who are dangerous hence the banning of them - a lot of the dangerous ones have been like thst because of the people who have had them but the end result is the same.

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thesilverlining · 28/07/2009 14:56

definately report them. Too many lovely well bred LEGAL dogs are getting accused of being Pit Bulls and so any real ones should definately be booted out of the country before they have chance to inter breed and contaminate some of the lovely legal breeds like mastiffs and staffies who without contaminated are fabby with kids and people generally.

you will never forgive yourself if the dog attacks someone and you could have stopped it

also that sedation thing is barbaric and cruel - what kind of a life must the poor animal have?

report them to the rspca and the police. They'll never know it was you honestly

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FabBakerGirlIsBack · 28/07/2009 15:03

Have you reported them yet?

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