to want a dog that bit me put to sleep?

[pickgo]

I was out for a walk with DS, DGS and mother on Sunday. We walked past a woman with 3 children and a dog on the lead. As we passed her on the pavement the dog leapt up at me and bit me on the chest.
Fortunately I had 6 layers of clothing on so it has only left me bruised, the skin is not actually broken.
The dog owner apologised. She admitted she already had a muzzle for the dog but hadn't put it on this time [OBVIOUSLY!!].
I said her apology wasn't good enough. What if I'd had a baby in a sling, or it was one of the children? What if it goes for one of her children? Told her I thought the dog should be put to sleep.
Ironically, I myself had a dog some years ago that randomly bit people. I too always kept it on a lead but one day it leapt into a pram and I was terrified it would bite the baby. That day I took my dog to the vet to ask for advice. The vet's advice was that once a dog has crossed 'the line' of biting people it will always be a possibility it will do it again. So I had the dog put to sleep. A sad, hard decision but I think the right one.
So, AIBU to want this dog put down? Surely I should be able to go out for a walk without being mauled by an animal and left injured?

tbh though any dog can become temporarily "out of control" but that doesn't necessarily mean that the owner is at fault or that they are generally uncontrollable.

Any dog could suddenly jump up at someone for instance - whether they were uncontrolled though would depend on how the owner reacted i.e. did she immediately pull the dog back and tell it off when it jumped or did she drop the lead and let it on its merry way, iyswim.

Both my dogs have just done a runner out of my front door. there's snow outside, there was a family playing out their with their dog, I think that it just all got a bit too much for mine who saw a split second opportunity to go out and play.

I guess it could be said that at that moment they were out of control, and I'm sure that some would call me an irresponsible dog owner. But they were called back immediately, one of them ran round the corner and the nice dad of the family ran round and got him back, and I apologised to them for my dogs getting in their way. They are back inside now and won't get the opportunity to get out like that again.

But no-one can say that all dogs are always 100% controled because that's simply not the case. It's how you deal with those out-of-control moments that makes the difference.

The op here says that the woman did apologise, so one can only assume that she did bring her dog back under control after the event.

True, Wannabe, but if your dogs had been recently traumatised, then you would be taking more care when walking them, I suspect.

And if your dogs had injured someone it would be your fault. Sometimes sorry isn't good enough, it is up to the OP as to whether she wants to try to take it further.

I don't agree with dogs being put to slepp for biting someone.
Purely becuase i have known two wonderfull dogs that have been pts becuase of biting but both times were provoked.

First one was our family dog, a little girl was swingin from her tail, her mum didn't stop her and the dog turned aroung after a few warning growls and nipped her hand and had to be pts as a result.

Second was a friends dog, she was a beautiful dog who i loved to peices and some little shit darling, was standing at the fence outside the dogs house and throwing sones at her and poking her with sticks and pulling her ears and tail, again after a few warning growls the dog bit the boys testicle off. She was destroyed the same day.

Both times i was devistated, i loved both dogs they were gentle, good natued dogs that were pushed and pushed. Its a really sad occasion.

I know the OP did nothing to the dog in question but that dog could be a really lovely family dog.

If the woman had intruders, the dog WOULD have been agitated. The woman would have been nervous, which would have upset the dog more.
I don't think the dog should be judged on one event, and some dogs are muzzled as they snap at other dogs.

totally different if a dog is provoked. If someone swung from my dog's tail and he bit them I'd say it served them bloody right.

But I am talking dogs that bite unprovoked not dogs that retalliate - there is a huge difference.

OP - YANBU.

wannabe - my sister had a rescue dog who had been a stray for some years. RSPCA knew about him for some time before they managed to catch him.

We couldn't break him of straying - he could jump a six foot wall from a standing start and was a beggar for nipping past you if you opened the door to the postman or anything. Thing is, he was not an aggressive dog - never bit anyone, human or dog. Even when someone attacked my sister, the dog just knocked the man to the ground and stood on him, instead of biting (admittedly he was drooling and looking agressive - hope it frightened the man). The local dog warden was fond of him and used to give him a lift home instead of taking him to the pound...

A dog that is usually muzzled in public and does actually bite someone is a different matter entirely. It must have a history of aggression for it to be muzzled. It has bitten at least one person and possibly more.

Of course YABU for wanting a dog put to sleep for one incident where the owner was clearly at fault. Hopefully now the police have spoken to the owner she will realise it is in everyone's best interests, including the dogs, for the dog to wear a muzzle when out and about.

It really annoys me when people think because a dog might bite in a certain situation it is therefore huge danger to everyone around it and about to savage a child. I have a dog here, a rescue, who previously may have bitten someone if given the chance. I always ensured a bite could never happen. He was extremely carefully managed and is now comfortable and relaxed around people in and out of the house. However, at no point has he ever been a danger to my children. Had he been a danger to my children, he would have been very carefully managed so the children were in no danger, but he would not have been rehomed.

And it is correct that the police cannot act unless the dog has bitten more than once. MY DSS was bitten by his Gramdfathers dog a few years ago. Entirely the fault of the adults concerned, including my DH. The dog was an outside dog kept at the stables owned by Grandfather. It had never been inside a house ever. It also hadn't been around children. They thought it would be 'nice' for the dog to come into the house and spend Christmas and they also decided to take it to the pub for lunch.

DSS's Mother tried to have the dog put to sleep but was told in no uncertain terms (she pushed the matter greatly) that unless the owner was willing, the dog could not be ordered to be put to sleep as thos was the only reported bite incident.

I have 2 very personal stories regarding dogs- one was my childhood pet and the other my uncles dog.

My dog nipped my small cousin as a baby and my mother was told by a friend of hers at the time that as soon as a dog does this it is far far more likely to do it again my mother foolishly ignored the advice mainly becaause she didnt want to upset me as the dog was a treasured family pet the dog later went on to severly bite a friend of my brothers which almost severed an artery (the dog was immediately put down)

The other example regards my uncle who purchased an english bull terrier off a friend despite knowing that it could be prone to aggression and although he had him for 4 years and never had a days trouble with him-one night he went downstairs to get a drink, and tripped over the dog who then proceeded to literally rip his face off- he lost his nose,his left ear and was partially blinded.
He has had years of plastic surgery and counselling- the dog was put to sleep eventually after the police struggled to get the rspca to help and not even ketamin (a horse tranquilizer) could subdue it.
Dont get me wrong I am animal lover and I have a dog as does my parents and they are lovely animals but thats what they are un predictable animals who if in my opinion shows signs of aggression need to be dealt with asap.

There are certain dog types known for there aggression. What sort of dog was it? I think certain dogs need to be with a responsible owner and trained properly. X

YANBU. The dog bit you without provocation. To me that's a line crossed. And I am a dog lover.

"There are certain dog types known for there aggression. What sort of dog was it? I think certain dogs need to be with a responsible owner and trained properly. X"

the breed is irrelevant. the owner and individual dog is what should be taken into account here.

no1) that the owner will commit to being responsible regardless of the dogs, past, personality, health etc
no2) teh dogs' history for this beahviour.

also
you say certain dogs need to be with a responsible owner.

ALL dogs need to be with a responsible owner.

UPdate - have spent great chunk of today at Walkin Centre to have bruises recorded. Waited 1.5 hours to then be told you have to go to your GP - another 1.5 hours there.
I really resent the posters who are dismissing my injuries. One side of my left breast is now blue/purple/yellow and very tender. I keep brushing it with my arm and it hurts. I also have a 'paw' shaped bruise on my ribs where the dog landed against me. Also looking at the coat I'd been wearing today in the daylight I see two holes where the dog's teeth have pierced the fabric.
Whilst 'mauled' might have been a bit of an overstatement I feel emotionally a bit mauled because it seems there is nothing I can do about this - I just have to accept that I can go out for a walk at any time and can get injured by a dog and just have to put up with it.
The police constable who came on Sunday is supposed to be ringing me tomorrow but I've been told his 'action' has been to send a copy of a report (which I'm not allowed to see) to the Council dog warden. That's it.
I can't believe that this can happen and there are no consequences.
No wonder there are so many irresponsible dog owners - there's nothing to force them to be responsible unless they are so inclined.

copy of a report (which I'm not allowed to see) to the Council dog warden

Sure that you must be able to get a copy (if it really exists). My guess is it might not exist currently and they are fobbing you off.

How recent was this alleged intruder ?
Must have been recorded by police.

Sounds unlikely story.
Just seems odd that she talked about muzzle being forgotten.

1. Intruder event
2. Time to see dog was playing up
3. More time to see it was continuing.
4. Purchase muzzle.
5. Start using muzzle.
6. Continue using muzzle.
7. THEN forget this time.

IF intruder event did occur seems several weeks ago.

Hope your injuries heal, sounds like you were lucky.

FWIW and AFAIK an individual is NOT allowed to see a Police report of this kind.

Any report that you are allowed to see and which is about matters personal to the individual, such as in this situation, would be accessible by the Data Protection Act and not the FOI Act surely, as FOI only covers wider and more general info and not personal matters.

I say that AFAIK you're not allowed a copy of the report as I recall asking for one when my DD was assaulted. We were told then that it was not permissable for us to access it and yet in this case I know for sure that it had been dealt with and recorded by the Police.

Just to clarify, my understanding is that pickgo would be able to lodge an FOI request with the council asking (say):

For all documents relating to an (alleged) attack on pickgo at location X on day Y by soandso's dog, including but not limitted to report by PC Plod

The council would redact personal details from the docs.

But I'm fairly sure that the police saying "you can't have it" is a big red flag that it doesn't exist.

I'm sorry, but a dog bit a child's TESTICLE off and you are claiming that that dog still had a place in what is, like it or not, a human-orientated society?

I don't care if the child was "provoking" the dog. That's what children do. And children come first.

Jesus wept.

Ninedragons, too bloody right that dog had a right to live. They all do, particularly one who had reacted to some little shit throwing stones at her, poking her with sticks and pulling her ears and tail.

Had she been mine and had the same situation occurred she would have quickly been removed from my property to a place of safety until such a time that I could be reunited with her and she was no longer at threat of harm, before anyone got to her to demand that she was killed. I'd do that for anyone's dog under the circumstances.

It might just wear a muzzle to stop it eating rubbish it finds on walks.
If this was the first time anything like this has happened, I think the dog deserves a second chance.

I hope your chest feels better soon.

Giddy, let's be honest, I have no idea whether this dog jumped up with the intention to bite, as an act of aggression, or whether he jumped up, as dogs sometimes do, and caught the OP. What I do know is that sometimes these things can happen so fast and when unexpected it can be hard to tell.

Also, you are making assumptions about the owner and stating them as fact. You do not know why she had a muzzle with her. You do not know for one single second that she will not train or control the dog in future, any more than you know what she had for breakfast this morning.

For the record, I carry a muzzle when out with my dogs. This is because one of them can occasionally be vocal with other dogs when on-lead. Not aggressive, just gobby! This can sometimes result in unwanted behaviour on the part of the dog he's barking at, so to prevent the possibility of a dog threatened by mouth-almighty going on the attack I have a muzzle to hand to silence my boy. Equally the muzzle, together with the spare slip lead I always kep in my pocket, is there should I find a stray who is a bit unpredicatble.

Disclaimer - I probably don't find any more strays than anyone else. The difference is that I'm the one who will lead (and if necessary muzzle!) the stray up and take him home to locate his owner, whereas a lot of the public will not bother.

My son was bitten by a dog on the way to school.The dog knocked him off his bike and bit his hand.
The woman who's dog it was came round to see me in tears to apologise and explain what had happened. It turned out she had rehomed from a rescue less than a week beforehand.

I then recieved a phonecall from school to collect son as he needed medical treament. (no stitches needed)

I am not a Doggy person but not once did i even contemplate the dog being put to sleep. I suggested that the woman contact the rescue concerned to let them know and ask for advice regarding the dogs behaviour.

She Volunteered all her contact information should i want to make a complaint. I know she was really upset that this had happened.

After seeing my sons hand didn't feel it was nessecary to take it any further.

Had it been more serious then i think my decision would have been a different story.

In my case the woman had no idea that the dog would attack but agree that in th OP's case the woman concerned should have taken steps to avoid the attack in the circumstances