Woman looses arm due to dog bite

[Drlovestrong]

Dog owner who lost arm after pet bit her is suing RSPCA for £200K https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11992905/Rescue-dog-owner-lost-arm-pet-bit-suing-RSPCA-200-000.html?ito=native_share_article-nativemenubutton

Can we talk about this? I am appalled at the amount of dog bites (fatal and otherwise). What is going on?! I am a life long owner of dogs, they are my favourite animal, but I think this article should be discussed.

A few years back, a friend relinquished her two staffies to a local dog rescue. She hadn't trained her pets and after the birth of her second child she felt she couldn't trust them around her children. One attempted to bite her and she felt they were unstable and aggressive. She fully disclosed all of this information to the rescue and was disappointed and anxious that when she went online to look at the rescues advert of the dogs, the descriptions of them were not accurate and they were being advertised as suitable for families with children aged 5+.

I was shocked that a rescue would do this but have since learnt this wasn't a one off and other people have similar stories to tell. I love dogs and this isn't about me trying to tell people not to rescue dogs but hoped we could discuss our thoughts and opinions on it. Personally I wouldn't ever rescue a dog as a mother with children at home. I had this viewpoint long before any of this came to light. I feel its too risky to have a dog that you cannot be certain of its history in and around young children. Anyway....what do you think? Thanks

A few years back, a friend relinquished her two staffies to a local dog rescue. She hadn't trained her pets and after the birth of her second child she felt she couldn't trust them around her children. One attempted to bite her and she felt they were unstable and aggressive. She fully disclosed all of this information to the rescue and was disappointed and anxious that when she went online to look at the rescues advert of the dogs, the descriptions of them were not accurate and they were being advertised as suitable for families with children aged 5+

We've had a similar experience. Before we had our own DDog we would go to a local rescue at the weekend and walk one of the dogs.

Had been doing this for quite a while with a few different dogs. Turned up one day, just me and DD, was given a different Dog. Had got to the other side of the field when it turned in DD for absolutely no reason. I could barely control it and on the end told her to run back to the car and lock herself in.

Told the staff when I got back with him. They seemed a bit dismissive.

Went to a local Fayre a couple of months later and the Rescue had a stall and said Dog was being advertised as suitable for homes with young DC. Was deeply shocked. Told the people running the stall that I didn't think it was correct. They said they'd talk to the owner if the rescue. Went to another Faye's a couple of weeks later and he was being advertised again as being suitable to love with young DC. He was an accident waiting to happen.

Even though I've heard this story by different people numerous times it still makes my blood boil. How can people be so careless and so stupid?! Who would do this? I think @EllenLRipley is right

'Many people have absurd ideals attached to dogs and many of these go to work for organisations like the RSPCA.'

these individuals and organisations need to be held to account. Better yet pts with the dangerous dogs that they are promoting for life with children and their families

Grrrrrr!

I've had two rescue dogs. One was lovely - a large Staffie cross, gentle, placid, absolutely bombproof, and the other was a young Dobermann who I was assured would be absolutely fine around all other animals and children (different rescues). The latter was an absolute dream to walk, despite never having been on a lead, apparently, very focused on what I wanted and completely relaxed when seeing very small children or small animals in the distance. But the moment a seven year old stood quietly within six foot of him, he froze and growled in the 'I'm not joking' way where you know instantly that this won't work. He was returned the following morning - where I was informed 'Oh, we thought he'd last longer this time'.

You what now?

He'd been rehomed for cornering the seven year old son of the original owner and then biting the owner when he attempted to intervene. AND he'd been returned twice in the three months they'd had him. Three months? You told me that he'd been surrendered two weeks ago because the owner needed to move to look after her grandmother. 'Ah, well, he's so beautiful, we wanted him to have a chance at a proper home'.

I don't care about any enraged posts shrieking ADOPT! ADOPT! - if/when I have another dog, I am getting a puppy from a breeder. I am not going to risk a secondhand animal that has been both screwed up by an inadequate original owner and wilfully misrepresented by a rescue because Aww, the feelz.

When I think of the level of policing involved in adopting cats, kittens and rabbits - and puppies, for that matter - the way that adolescent and adult dogs are punted out almost to anybody who will have them, combined with blatant lies that put members of the public at potentially catastrophic levels of risk, baffles me. Even the smallest dog can do significantly more damage with their teeth than a cat due to the massive increase in power to weight ratio.

our local council had recently made dog enforcement duties as part of the parking warden responsibilities and apparently they all walked out. Can't say I blame them either....
You'd want a gun some sort of bite proof body suit (if such a thing exists) not to mention plenty of 'danger money' these animals are just not suited as pets.

Ah, well, he's so beautiful, we wanted him to have a chance at a proper home
sounds like the place is staffed by doe eyed dog lovers, they go into a pink fuzzy trance and are unable to see how dangerous the animal is. These places need to be properly regulated😡

Are these dog rescue / rehoming services regulated in any way?

They should be! Why are they allowed to recycle dangerous animals into the community? They need to be accountable.

If anything good comes out of this woman’s challenge to the RSPCA let it be this!

@EggInANest no.

Many members of the public are under the impression that animal rescues are licensed or regulated in some way. The reality though is that anyone can set up a rescue, irrespective of whether they have the skills, experience or resources

I think a petition to government needs to be started. This story and this thread has really moved me. Something has to change.

That's completely shocking @NeverDropYourMooncup. You definitely made the right decision in taking him back.

Couldn't agree more!

Someone I know had a rescue American bully and was waking it on a lead. A woman walking a chihuahua came past and the dog lunged and killed it! Shook it like a rat and mauled it to death. It was awful. The chihuahua owner was obviously distraught but he couldn’t pull the dog off at all.

I worked exclusively in large breed (mastiff, corporate, ambull etc) rehoming for years. I stopped because I got sick of:

They're all big softies!

Its not the breed it's the owner!

I cant believe people cross the road to avoid us!

Used as a bait dog!

And on and on...

The animals I have worked with were generally giant bags of muscle with no training at all. They were allowed to live under very specific circumstances set by a court and gad to live under those orders until they died. They were placed with people who understood what they were dealing with. The last dog we placed died around 3 years ago and I would never do it again.

Someone I knew through the community, I didn't give them their dog, lost their nephew to an "Ambull" (it was an Argentino flying under the radar).

The problem is, and shoot me down in flames if you want, is we don't put down enough dogs in the UK. I don't care if it's a JRT or a Corso or a Poodle, we're overrun and there simply aren't enough specialist homes to rehabilitate every dog with "issues". It's absolutely 100% not the dogs fault, and that's a whole other kettle of fish. But we can't keep throwing dogs out there screaming "it's a RESCUE!" and thinking that gives the behaviour some kind of shield.

I've fostered and rehomed dogs in the 3 figures. I've been a prominent voice in the defence of Bull breeds. But what's happening now is lunacy. We need licensing back, and Bully licensing needs to be akin to a wild animal license.

Life long dog owner, never been bitten by my own dog ( had a couple of very minor bites from others ) never had a problem dog and they’ve all bar one been rescues. A dog isn’t a child, it isn’t your best human friend, it’s a dog and it has to be treated and trained as a dog. I’m the pack leader , the dog does as I say when I say it. They never get hit, never get smacked, I only have to use my voice. I can click my fingers and point, the dog will go to where I point. The word stop stops them in their tracks. It’s not difficult and if owners treated their dog as a dog there’d be a lot fewer problems.
I agree with the American Bully dogs, should be a banned breed and we should also follow the French system of registering dogs and classifying them.
https://www.angloinfo.com/blogs/france/poitou-charentes/bonjour-charente/your-dog-and-the-law-in-france/

thank you @YesitsBess and @AgrathaChristie for being good, right thinking dog people!
Is there any hope for a better approach to dog ownership in the UK do you think?

horrifying, does that person still have his weapon dog?

I think the rescue centre took a massive risk too.

I am interested to see how this case pans out. I think some rescue centres are a disgrace with some of their rehoming of dogs with a dangerous track record.

No.

Not at the moment unfortunately in my opinion. I hated and was vocal about the flat-faced breed problem and I've watched it become an epidemic of horribly disfigured animals (not just the ubiquitous French and English Bulldogs but the DDB and the Boston terrier with the added sclerosis).

At the moment it's entirely unfashionable to "rescue" or adopt a dog that doesn't have "issues". Be it from here or Romania or wherever.

I have my own issues with the KC and breed standards, but I have a much bigger issue with the sheer number of fucking lunatic dogs being rehomed with people who think 'love' is the answer. I don't subscribe to pack theory (mainly because it's bollocks and the original author of the study has said as much himself) but I do subscribe to "your dog has to learn to behave around humans not the other way around".

I have genuinely worked with the worst dogs, I have magazine articles on my work. And right now I'm looking at the situation and am so glad I'm out of it.

@YesitsBess you said you subscribe to "your dog has to learn to behave around humans not the other way around".

Really? Children included?

There appears to be zero will to do anything from the govt. I know they are probably the most inept and corrupt bunch ever to rule over us, but this problem doesn't seem to be talked about anywhere in Westminster.

But there needs to be a bottom up approach, not just knee jerk breed bans that don't work. Strict dog licencing including chip and dna so shit can be traced to the owner, proper enforcement and massive fines if your dog kills another dog/bites a human, spot scans in trouble spots like sink estates, a moratorium on breeding any dog for two years, proper legislation on rescues where unhomable dogs are put down. I'm sure there are more things that would help too. I feel desperately sorry for all of the dogs, who only exist because of humans. We all need to take responsibility and that includes the bloody awful KC.

Children have to be taught how to behave around animals. Years ago we had a lovely little dog who was very well behaved. I was walking her on a lead, close to me as there were people around, when a kid ran up to her, hit her on the snout and shouted 'doggy'. She snapped at him. Luckily she didn't make contact but if she had no doubt she'd have got the blame, not the stupid child. Thankfully his mum saw what he did and apologised to me.

I agree @PinkSparklyPussyCat but from what I can see @YesitsBess doesn't think the same- which is why I asked. It's crazy to me that an adult, especially one with experience of dogs, doesn't think that children need to be taught to respect dogs and how to behave appropriately around them..this is a massive part of the problem and sadly results in children getting injured or worse...

I see these ‘XL Bullies’ everywhere in my town, and am always terrified to walk by with my little dog. My younger DSis’s friend gotten bitten on the leg by his mum’s American bulldog aged 12 and she still kept the dog!

It’s also awful to see how badly they’re treated because the owners can’t control them. I am forever seeing them being slapped, punched and kicked when they don’t listen to their owners. Hideous to look at but then again I suppose they don’t know how else to control them, but I can’t help but think that’ll only fuel their anger if they do turn on their owners.

Terrible for all involved.

My younger DSis’s friend gotten bitten on the leg by his mum’s American bulldog aged 12 and she still kept the dog!

The sheer stupidity of some people... * *

The RSPCA quite rightly isn't commenting on the disclosure of history until case comes to court. Perhaps we should wait until then before making judgements based on a Daily Mail report.

It’s also awful to see how badly they’re treated because the owners can’t control them. I am forever seeing them being slapped, punched and kicked when they don’t listen to their owners. Hideous to look at but then again I suppose they don’t know how else to control them, but I can’t help but think that’ll only fuel their anger if they do turn on their owners.

Realistically, trying to physically abuse a dog (who needs to be repeatedly tasered to be controlled) into obedience just don’t work though. Those types of people would punch, slap, and kick a chihuahua if they had one. It’s unlikely to be about not knowing how to control their dog and more likely about being a nasty and abusive person.

To quote again from a post up thread:
our local council had recently made dog enforcement duties as part of the parking warden responsibilities and apparently they all walked out. Can't say I blame them either....
Dog enforcement is work which no one wants to take on ...understandably!
Are we going to have whole towns that are controlled by horrible bullies with their weapon dogs? According to other posters on the thread there are already blocks of housing in which this is the situation 🤬

I agree it's very shocking, this woman values the dog and having it as a status symbol more than the safety and comfort of her child. It's starting to look very much like the situation with guns in the USA.