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Yet another person killed from a dog attack.. what is going on

877 replies

icelolly12 · 13/01/2023 08:32

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-64254413

Something needs to be done...reports of dog neglect taken more seriously, harsher prison sentences... any other ideas?

Awful, awful way to die, and makes me think twice about passing dogs off lead on walks.

OP posts:
Snowglobules · 13/01/2023 12:17

I’ve also read that a huge percentage of domestic dogs are highly neurotic and essentially suffering from mental health issues, they are jealous, anxious or depressed all the time, it’s also in their nature to be constantly aware of pecking order and challenging it and you need to be able to make them feel secure under your leadership to prevent this but too many owners baby their dogs in an unhealthy way. It is poor ownership to blame, people get dogs to meet their emotional needs without considering what the dogs needs will be. The happiest, sanest dogs I’ve known have all been working dogs such as gun dogs, sheep dogs or service dogs.

yorkshirepudsx · 13/01/2023 12:19

Surrey Live is currently live on Facebook reporting if anybody is interested.

Banbigdogs2023 · 13/01/2023 12:19

@Snowglobules I totally agree. Working type dogs should not be owned by the general public. It’s cruel

Quveas · 13/01/2023 12:22

Newtrick · 13/01/2023 12:06

I just don't see how anyfrom of licensing would work for the high % of dogs that don't come from kc breeders or legitimate rescues

My worry is people would just let unregistered dogs suffer because the only place that could pick it up would be a vet.

There are many legitimate breeders who are not KC registered, and bearing in mind that the KC has been responsible for more irresponsible breeding - in the guise of pedigree - than anyone else, I would personally ban the KC and "breed standards". I wouldn't touch a KC registered dog with a barge pole. In my case my dogs have always been ISDS registered. And rescues are not for everyone. You cannot extrapolate from what irresponsible people do to create systems - irresponsible people ignore systems and there is no way you will ever stop that. If that were not true there would be no crime and no successful criminals - we throw £billions at policing and enforcing the law and dealing with offenders, and crime is going up! We spend £billions on child safety, but children are injured, abused and murdered still. On what basis do you think a poorly resourced system for breeders based on knee-jerk reactions will solve the problem?

Yes we need better ways of dealing with irrepsonsible ownership and breeding, but the vast majority of dog owners are not irresponsible, and the vast majority of people breeding dogs are not bad. Punishing them will not fix the problem - it will alienate the people who are doing right.

Snowglobules · 13/01/2023 12:27

@Marcipex That is a good idea, I’ll do that next time I see them loose like that, shouldn’t be too long 😞

@Banbigdogs2023 I have previously called the rspca but the as long as the dogs have food, water shelter etc they said it wasn’t something they dealt with. Perhaps the council is a better call. I actually like his parents but I think his mum has blinkers on when it comes to her youngest son and he can do know wrong. Perhaps I will try and talk to his Dad about it.

Soothsayer1 · 13/01/2023 12:33

Horrifying sickening and terrifying, large powerful predators are totally and utterly unsuited as pets.
What can we do to protect ourselves from this threat?

dawngreen · 13/01/2023 12:34

I grew up when people had dog licences responsible ppl had one, and the types who don't care didn't bother. If a dog got taken they would just get another.

Emotionalsupportviper · 13/01/2023 12:35

eurochick · 13/01/2023 12:03

I live fairly nearby and know the place where it happened. It is very far from the sort of area @Kevinyoutwat describes. It is a local beauty spot surrounded by the type of houses where the kids have a pony and the parents do something "in the City".

There is little information available but there is some suggestion that rather than being seven dogs on the attack some people in the vicinity dropped their dogs leads to let them escape. I have no idea if that is true or not though. Local people really want to know more - that's an area where many (including me) go for walks with their children.

It is very unusual for an adult to be fatally attacked by a dog. I wonder what the hell happened.

This sounds very believable - I've been in a group of friendly dogs and owners when an aggressive dog has attacked one. If you have hold of a lead you do let go to let your dog run for safety - this not only protects the dog but also you, as you then don't get in a position where you are risking being bitten. DH was quite badly bitten breaking up a fight between one of our soft-as-sh1t spaniels and another dog which had attacked her - we honestly don't know which dog bit him as both were snapping like crazy - ours out of sheer terror! Damaged the tendons in two fingers and his thumb - agonisingly painful, and has never got full range of movement back

BubziOwl · 13/01/2023 12:36

@Snowglobules

The happiest, sanest dogs I’ve known have all been working dogs such as gun dogs, sheep dogs or service dogs.

I could not agree more. I have had a lifetime around working dogs, and they really are so much happier than your regular bored pets. Some of my favourite breeds when used as a working dog, I wouldn't touch with a bargepole if they were just owned by a member of the public for non-working purposes.

Dogs have been bred for generations to have specific instincts to fulfil specific purposes. So it's quite obvious that they will try to act out their instincts, and they will become frustrated and bored if they don't.

I really strongly believe that dogs should only be owned by people who will fulfil a dog's natural instinct and breed traits.

LG93 · 13/01/2023 12:38

Climbles · 13/01/2023 09:31

I very much doubt this is a dog walker. Dogs who kill are almost always of certain breeds and often have a particular type of owner. They generally not the type to pay a dog walker to walk their dog. My guess is that they were kennelled somewhere and got out. Maybe fighting dogs or maybe breeding dogs.

It's been confirmed it was a dog walker

LordSugarTits · 13/01/2023 12:38

"I very much doubt this is a dog walker."

She was a dog Walker

Soothsayer1 · 13/01/2023 12:39

Banbigdogs2023 · 13/01/2023 11:14

@Bibbeti

*Not even sure I should admit to this...

I've started carrying things, that legally I shouldn't, that I could defend myself and my dog with, from another dog only, when I take ours on walks. I don't see any other option except to never walk my dog locally. The RSPCA can't do anything, the police don't seem to be able to either.*

That’s a really good idea actually. I might start carrying too so I can defend my children if the worst happens.

If there's one attack on these types of dogs you know that the owners will all go out and get guns to defend their precious furbabies

Emotionalsupportviper · 13/01/2023 12:39

Quveas · 13/01/2023 12:22

There are many legitimate breeders who are not KC registered, and bearing in mind that the KC has been responsible for more irresponsible breeding - in the guise of pedigree - than anyone else, I would personally ban the KC and "breed standards". I wouldn't touch a KC registered dog with a barge pole. In my case my dogs have always been ISDS registered. And rescues are not for everyone. You cannot extrapolate from what irresponsible people do to create systems - irresponsible people ignore systems and there is no way you will ever stop that. If that were not true there would be no crime and no successful criminals - we throw £billions at policing and enforcing the law and dealing with offenders, and crime is going up! We spend £billions on child safety, but children are injured, abused and murdered still. On what basis do you think a poorly resourced system for breeders based on knee-jerk reactions will solve the problem?

Yes we need better ways of dealing with irrepsonsible ownership and breeding, but the vast majority of dog owners are not irresponsible, and the vast majority of people breeding dogs are not bad. Punishing them will not fix the problem - it will alienate the people who are doing right.

I agree with everything you have said, but is ISDS not just applicable to working collies? My dad's collie was ISDS (40 years ago - things may have changed)

Perhaps we need similar for domestic pet breeds.

OMG12 · 13/01/2023 12:41

Kevinyoutwat · 13/01/2023 08:56

Trouble is, even with licences, people wouldn’t bother with them.

Who would police it? There’s little time and resources as it is.

What’s to stop people breeding and buying from friends?

I live in an absolute shithole. The amount of parents at the school who turn up with puppies of breeds that are going to be massive, are known for aggression. They carry them around when they are tiny, and then when they get bigger, they are just dumped in their back gardens to chew all the crap that’s there, bark all day and they complain that they are “little bastards.” Never see a vet and are just passed around from family members to friends when they misbehave too much. They never see a vet. They aren’t insured. They are bred in back gardens. No one knows they exist.

RSPCA only care if the the dog has food and shelter.

I can take my toddler to my local parks. If the drug dealers aren’t bad enough, their dogs are even worse, it’s terrifying.

There are shithole towns and areas like this all over the county filled with scumbags who are only on nodding terms with the law anyway - the talk of dog licences makes me laugh, like they would get one or give a shit.

And no one wants to say that - if you do, you accused of being a snob. But it’s true, I love it everyday, sadly, until we can sell up and get the hell out of here.

This is so true. DH is a special constable and he’s constantly gobsmaked by what he sees, the state people live in, the way they treat animals, kids.

dog attacks like this nearly always always seem to be in crappy areas with intimidation dogs.

These people will not abide by any laws. The police don’t have the resources to police it. The only real option is to make the ownership and breeding of a much broader range of dogs illegal. All dogs should be neutered.

Emotionalsupportviper · 13/01/2023 12:42

BubziOwl · 13/01/2023 12:36

@Snowglobules

The happiest, sanest dogs I’ve known have all been working dogs such as gun dogs, sheep dogs or service dogs.

I could not agree more. I have had a lifetime around working dogs, and they really are so much happier than your regular bored pets. Some of my favourite breeds when used as a working dog, I wouldn't touch with a bargepole if they were just owned by a member of the public for non-working purposes.

Dogs have been bred for generations to have specific instincts to fulfil specific purposes. So it's quite obvious that they will try to act out their instincts, and they will become frustrated and bored if they don't.

I really strongly believe that dogs should only be owned by people who will fulfil a dog's natural instinct and breed traits.

Seconded.

I don't work my spaniels but they get between 4-6 hours off lead each day (DH, DD and I have a shift system), but they would definitely be more fulfilled doing the work they were bred for.

Our dog especially would be an amazing cadaver dog. We hide things for him to find, and he never fails.

ginghamstarfish · 13/01/2023 12:43

Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 13/01/2023 08:57

in my area of France, all dogs bigger than a small terrier or lapdog had to be muzzled in public ( unless they were hunting, but that would be in a designated area, and the public would be warned as there would also be shooting).

I really think, though, that this is another problem of overcrowding. There is just not enough space in England.

This is what is needed, with steep fines or animals being removed and destroyed for non-compliance. There are far too many useless owners. God knows who would police it though, but it would never happen here, as most seem to think dogs have 'rights' and should be allowed to go wherever they like, jump up at strangers, shit and piss everywhere, etc. I would like to see strict licencing and policing of dogs - paid for by the licence fees/fines.

Kevinyoutwat · 13/01/2023 12:44

OMG12 · 13/01/2023 12:41

This is so true. DH is a special constable and he’s constantly gobsmaked by what he sees, the state people live in, the way they treat animals, kids.

dog attacks like this nearly always always seem to be in crappy areas with intimidation dogs.

These people will not abide by any laws. The police don’t have the resources to police it. The only real option is to make the ownership and breeding of a much broader range of dogs illegal. All dogs should be neutered.

Yes, my eldest is a police officer. When they first started, they said they had a new found appreciation of the life they had/have now they that they have seen first hand how some people live.

Soothsayer1 · 13/01/2023 12:44

What about a campaign by the public where we just take photos and footage of all dangerous off lead dogs and bombard the police with them?

Jenasaurus · 13/01/2023 12:45

The live surrey blog has just confirmed that the lady that was sadly attacked and killed was a dog walker and walking a number of dogs at the time, I wonder if another dog approached aggressively causing her to drop the leads and the other dogs get loose, poor lady

www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/woman-killed-caterham-dog-attack-25969569#source=breaking-news

Emotionalsupportviper · 13/01/2023 12:46

I also think that while there is more dog ownership now, there are fewer dogs who have someone home with them all day. Dogs are lonely, bored and frustrated.

Also, the days when dogs were let out to roam - which also allowed them to socialise - are long gone. While in hygiene terms this was pretty vile, from the dogs' perspective it was great. They joined their dog "gang" trotted round sniffing and peeing and came home for their dinner. It was rare, as far as I can recall, for anyone to get bitten.

Tumty · 13/01/2023 12:46

Does anyone know if the dog was in the woman’s care? Or whether it was a random dog that approached?

yorkshirepudsx · 13/01/2023 12:47

Jenasaurus · 13/01/2023 12:45

The live surrey blog has just confirmed that the lady that was sadly attacked and killed was a dog walker and walking a number of dogs at the time, I wonder if another dog approached aggressively causing her to drop the leads and the other dogs get loose, poor lady

www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/woman-killed-caterham-dog-attack-25969569#source=breaking-news

@Tumty link here

yorkshirepudsx · 13/01/2023 12:48

Emotionalsupportviper · 13/01/2023 12:46

I also think that while there is more dog ownership now, there are fewer dogs who have someone home with them all day. Dogs are lonely, bored and frustrated.

Also, the days when dogs were let out to roam - which also allowed them to socialise - are long gone. While in hygiene terms this was pretty vile, from the dogs' perspective it was great. They joined their dog "gang" trotted round sniffing and peeing and came home for their dinner. It was rare, as far as I can recall, for anyone to get bitten.

I'm always at home with mine, sometimes the neighbours dogs come for a play date with my dog in the garden whilst they work. It's quite cute sometimes because they just run about and don't stop, all wagging and super happy.

yorkshirepudsx · 13/01/2023 12:48

Jenasaurus · 13/01/2023 12:45

The live surrey blog has just confirmed that the lady that was sadly attacked and killed was a dog walker and walking a number of dogs at the time, I wonder if another dog approached aggressively causing her to drop the leads and the other dogs get loose, poor lady

www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/woman-killed-caterham-dog-attack-25969569#source=breaking-news

So upsetting 💔💔💔

Jenasaurus · 13/01/2023 12:48

My DS used to live near there, right by Caterham Hill, it was a lovely area and very beautiful, he now lives in Redhill but may have taken his 2 whippets to walk in that area (on leads) he only lets them off when he pays for a field although they are not aggressive dogs they are very friendly and will go and say hello to people and other dogs so to keep everyone protected he only lets them off in the field that is used specifically for dogs. One of his whippets is scared of larger breeds, he hates GSD and Mastiffs so very wary of them.

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