AIBU to think dogs should be muzzled in public now?

(I might still be feeling cross because of the woman who let her massive “friendly” dog sniff and lick my cat’s carrying basket at the vet last week and took offence when I asked her not to).

I think dog owners should be made criminally liable for any damage their animal causes to people, animals or property. I would support muzzling in public too. As with everything else these days, people are just too self centred and dappy to control themselves, let alone their animals (or their children).

I think aggressive dogs along with their stupid irresponsible dog owners should be muzzled, yes!
Every dog, absolutely no way.

People have become ridiculous with their dogs these days though, they are not babies and they do not belong everywhere. I also think there are an abundance of regretful dog owners who did not fully appreciate the amount of dedication, hard work and consistency it requires to raise a good dog. I don’t think some people realise how much you have to socialise dogs right from the day you get them and a lot of owners are anxious themselves which rubs off on their animals leading to dangerous situations.

We’ve just returned from a popular holiday destination which has always had a lot of families visiting with their dogs, all shops dog friendly etc usually all is ok but this year the amount of out of control dogs lunging and snapping at other very well behaved animals out of nowhere and diving at my toddler was insane! It’s always accompanied by ‘oh Mr Fluffykins, don’t do that’ ‘oh they’ve never done that before’ like it’s the hugest surprise to them followed by a tinkly laugh. It isn’t funny, control your animal or keep them out of hugely busy and, I thought, massively overwhelming environments for poor animals to be subjected to.

The dogs on holiday snapping at/attacking other animals were all smaller, fluffy, doodle type ‘cute’ breeds. I’ve only ever been bitten by small, yappy dogs too. The three German shepherds we’ve had within our family have been the most intelligent, loving and loyal dogs I’ve known. But we train them adequately and raise them well and appreciate that, at the end of the day, they are a dog, an animal. And just to add, I love dogs, I would get another German shepherd tomorrow if my circumstances allowed.

I think dog attacks come from massively let down animals with lazy, incompetent owners as well as some who use their dog mainly as a status symbol.

About a month ago I was attacked by a small terrier dog as I was out on an evening walk. It was so out of the blue and the owner, again, just went ‘oh dear, are you feeling grumpy?’ I mean, what on Earth kind of reaction is that? I had to jump and run backwards pretty quickly before the owner yanked its lead back. I’m pretty sure if I’d have kicked the dog to protect myself she’d have been fuming!

Agree that measures to seek to reduce attacks by dogs on people (and other dogs and animals) should be looked at, using relevant evidence on what works.

Many of the possible measures would difficult to enforce with current police, court and local government resources.

Problem is though is that it’s only responsible dog owners who would bother doing that if it became the law, and the dogs of responsible owners are the ones already under control etc.

My dogs don’t need to be muzzled, but if muzzling mine meant that everyone else’s dogs would be muzzled then I’d happily do it. The problem is that most of these idiot dog owners with the vicious dogs will not be following the law