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Original poster

DC was bitten by strange dog, owner has now contacted me

482 replies

Villanelle · 14/04/2021 14:03

Yesterday my DC was bitten by a dog at the park. He was playing in the play area, went down the slide and then started running after his younger sibling, the dog came out of nowhere and started chasing him. It caught up to him and bit him on the leg and back. He was hurt (puncture wounds, bleeding and bruised) but not enough to need stitches, thankfully. It was terrifying though and could have been so much worse. It was a big dog, like a Weimaraner, and totally out of control in a children's play area, the children(!!) walking it had to drag it away.

We contacted the police but they're going to contact us again in a couple of days.
It was posted about on FB by someone who witnessed it. I didn't reply to it but somehow the owner of the dog has contacted me. They haven't apologised or anything, just given me their phone number and told me to phone them.

I want to shout at them for being so irresponsible, I'm so angry. I don't know if I should reply to them or just leave it up to the police/dog warden. I don't want to argue with them, of course, but I don't think they realise how awful the situation was?

OP posts:
mathanxiety · 15/04/2021 02:56

@Villanelle

Pass on the contact details to the police.

DO NOT call them yourself.

They will try to talk you out of getting the police involved.

This may be because it's the dog's second or further bite.

Hope your DS will be ok.
Also hoping the children of the irresponsible dog owner are ok.

RainingZen · 15/04/2021 03:41

I'm very sorry for your DC, a terrible shock but it is probably good you have your own dogs so that, after a few days, DC can start to realise it wasnt his fault and that he can have a good relationship with dogs.

To be honest if a dog is to bite children , it does need to be PTS, regardless of the particulars of the situation. Shame for the owners but then, they should have had it properly trained and not left it under the control of children who were not able to manage it. These are irresponsible owners and it is the poor dog that takes the brunt of it now.

I hope the police sort the problem out, it isnt your responsibility and if the dog is PTS then that's the owners fault not yours.

HoppingPavlova · 15/04/2021 04:02

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OnlyFoolsnMothers · 15/04/2021 04:19

Of the dog is so out of control and vicious it shouldn’t be being walked by children, it should be under adult control
on a lead with a muzzle. I hope these scum bag owners get the full weight of the dangerous dog act on them- I would press for any charges this falls under - bodily harm etc.
Don’t engage With them OP- I’d be fuming, imagine if your child was physically and mentally scarred.

redcarbluecar · 15/04/2021 05:39

Agree with everyone who has said not to contact the owners. I'd be very suspicious of their motives. Hope you get somewhere through the police.

Kenshi · 15/04/2021 05:44

I'm quite surprised that they contacted you tbh I suspect they did so because they're afraid the dog will be put down now, which in my opinion it should be. Two options, either muzzled whenever outdoors or put down. If they don't like it then they should take more responsibility for their animal which has attacked a child playing in a park ffs.

GoToSleepBabyPlease · 15/04/2021 05:57

I think PTS is the only real option here. The owners can't be trusted to make anything else stick. Who lets children walk a large dog?!

LadyGAgain · 15/04/2021 06:13

My husband was recently bitten by a dog. He was on a run and this little dog ran up and sank his teeth into his calf. Proper puncture wound that took hours to stop bleeding plus a visit to doctor for emergency tetanus shot. The owner was apologetic but if your dog reacts like that, muzzle it. No question. Police could not haven given one tiny shit. I reported it (online as you can't speak to a human these days) and they didn't even acknowledge it. Hope that dog doesn't bite a toddler as that's face height. Makes me rage.

beginningoftheend · 15/04/2021 06:31

Just adding to the chorus of don't contact them.

I'm getting more and more pissed off with having to watch out for badly controlled or uncontrolled dogs. I only go to our local beaches now whilst the dog ban is in place, it is ruined by dogs the other half of the year as you can't walk in peace.

Crayfishforyou · 15/04/2021 06:35

If you’ve cannot trust your dog, even a teething puppy who means no harm, then they shouldn’t be off the lead.
That dog should have been muzzled at the very least.
They give all of us responsible dog owners a bad name.

Do not contact them. Tell the police and let them deal with it.

GingerBeverage · 15/04/2021 06:38

A timely article: Dog-bite Britain: the problem with the pandemic puppy explosion

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/apr/15/dog-bite-britain-the-problem-with-the-pandemic-puppy-explosion

Rowofducks · 15/04/2021 06:41

My dd was bitten by a dog walking to school. It was a labradoodle type dog that ran up behind her and bit her calf leaving puncture wounds and her needing a tetanus and antibiotics. The owner just laughed and said “oh did he get you?” We reported it to the police and apparently lots of people had been bitten by it and he had a tendency to walk it when the secondary kids were walking to school. Never did hear what happened to it.

Poorlykitten · 15/04/2021 06:50

Don’t engage. Let police handle it. I imagine they are panicking that it will be PTS and want to give you excuses.

Mumoblue · 15/04/2021 06:53

I’d be fucking furious if I were you OP.
I think you’re doing the right thing by not engaging with the owner directly.
Glossing over and ignoring small dog attacks is how we end up with people getting seriously hurt in the future.

Quirrelsotherface · 15/04/2021 06:56

I too would ignore and go straight to the police to deal with them, I can't believe they couldn't even offer you an apology or express concern in that message. Disgraceful.

Jamboree01 · 15/04/2021 06:58

If you’re inner city like myself, it was probably just a dog that has been wound up to get ready for a fight and has got off the collar. They are everywhere in these places and the owners are far more deadly than the dogs. Don’t engage with them

GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman · 15/04/2021 07:09

OP, I am so sorry this has happened to you and your family. I was chased by a dog as a child which tore my clothes, and it really shook me up. Having a dog at home definitely helped me get over it so I hope it's the same for your son.

I'd be really interested to know if the dog was in fact a Weimaraner. DH loves the look of them and wants one as our next dog, but I know a lot of people who own and work gundogs (including similar breeds) who are not fans. They have a bit of a rep for picking fights and snapping.

dragonsmoke · 15/04/2021 07:11

Please don't jump on me as I'm not excusing what happened but I have a 4 month old puppy who gets very over excited around children, especially if they run and scream, she jumps up and bites. I take her to the country park, on a lead and she really pulls towards the play area which isn't fenced. I dont let her off the lead but I have no doubt if I did she would run straight to the children. Just wanted to give a different perspective as I see comments saying the dog should be destroyed. Def sounds like it should be on the lead and it may be the children let it off when they shouldn't have and the owner may want to explain and apologise to you.

Train your dog.

abeanbaked · 15/04/2021 07:21

@dragonsmoke

Please don't jump on me as I'm not excusing what happened but I have a 4 month old puppy who gets very over excited around children, especially if they run and scream, she jumps up and bites. I take her to the country park, on a lead and she really pulls towards the play area which isn't fenced. I dont let her off the lead but I have no doubt if I did she would run straight to the children. Just wanted to give a different perspective as I see comments saying the dog should be destroyed. Def sounds like it should be on the lead and it may be the children let it off when they shouldn't have and the owner may want to explain and apologise to you.

Train your dog.

A puppy is a bit different to a fully grown dog. Puppies have an instinct to chase, follow and play. I'd say it's unlikely that a puppy would run to a group of screaming children because of their fear anyway, unless it's a super confident pup.
Mrgrinch · 15/04/2021 07:39

I would call them with my number witheld and record the conversation.

That dog needs to be banned from public spaces if it bites, especially children's play areas.

Redburnett · 15/04/2021 07:41

OP please make sure that you do push the police to prosecute. A dog that attacks a child unprovoked is a serious danger to the public and needs to be dealt with through the courts.

LST · 15/04/2021 07:43

I walk my dog off lead and the vast majority of time it is uneventful. But it is always idiot owners that allow their bounding dogs to harass mine. Just because he is off lead doesnt mean he wants to be jumped on my untrained young dogs that are 'friendly'.

summerisler · 15/04/2021 07:48

I would pass their phone number to the Police and not have any direct contact with them. I don’t think anything would be gained by having a conversation with them at all - leave it to the Police to sort out. Dog owners (not all dog owners, and speaking as a dog owner) are absolutely convinced that they are in the right when it comes to their dog having right to roam off the lead and I’ve had a few unpleasant experiences with people letting their dogs run around in children’s play areas where they can become easily excited/threatened and perhaps do something to hurt a child or adult. It might be totally out of character but still causes an injury. I’m a dog owner and dog lover but not everyone else is and I think people and their kids have a right to feel at ease - especially in a children’s play area. Best wishes to you and your DC.

SpiderinaWingMirror · 15/04/2021 07:52

We have our first dog. It took me about 30 seconds to work out.
If a dog approaching is one a lead, call your dog and leash him.
Most of our walks are beaches or open country with wide views. When we go to the local park, he stays on his lead and is encouraged to ignore children. Might stop for a 30 second hello if the parents are within touch but otherwise no.
In your situation I would ask the police to get their contact details and sue them for your child injuries.

SofiaMichelle · 15/04/2021 07:57

@Mrgrinch

I would call them with my number witheld and record the conversation.

That dog needs to be banned from public spaces if it bites, especially children's play areas.

Why would you call them?

What difference does it make whatever they say?

The police need to deal with it, not OP.