to think that the keeping of dogs for domestic purposes should be banned.

[AKMD]

That?s it really. I am sick to death of having to watch my feet to make sure I don?t accidentally tread in dog muck left to steam by some selfish, lazy dog owner. I resent not being able to take 2yo DS to the park directly opposite my house because it?s used as a dog exercise ground and you can?t play toddler football without the ball and toddler falling into said dog muck. I hate that every time we go to the slightly nicer park there?s at least one dog without a lead who decides to come and sniff DS and that while he backs away the owner stands there laughing that ?he?s only being friendly?. I loathe and detest the particularly ?friendly? dogs who lick DS while I drag him away, probably just after eating another dog?s poo or a dead rat or some other disgusting thing they just found. I have personally seen the scars left on a young child by a ?friendly? dog turning savage and ripping the toddler?s cheek off. The problem of people getting bored of their dogs and dumping them in rescue centres is sickening. The stories of dogs being bred to fight, being neglected, being bred for ?beauty? despite the ?beautiful? characteristics causing the animals pain and suffering are beyond belief.

IMO domestic dog owners as a general class have proved that they are irresponsible and selfish. Fear of treading in dog poo on a pavement or in a park is common to everyone and I am so, so sick of people blaming it on a tiny minority. Domestic dog owners can?t be trusted to be responsible so they shouldn?t have them, end of. People should only be allowed to keep dogs for working purposes ? guide dogs, sniffer dogs, police dogs, sheep dogs etc. - if they are licensed.

AIBU?

Yes - You are completely unreasonable about banning of dogs from domestic owners! What a completely numpty suggestion!

I am with you on the dog poo subject, and with you on the dogs 'just being friendly' bullshit from overly laid back dog owners.

I do like pets.... cats, dogs etc... And I agree that they do become part of the family and provide so much joy and comfort. But.... don't expect others to love your dog too! I can't bare this 'YOU MUST LOVE MY DOG' thing. I too, am fed up of dogs coming up and jumping up on my child.. my middle child was sent flying by a golden retriever last year... bloody owner nowhere to be frigging seen!!!! And, I'm fed up a family member's dogs coming up and licking my toddler in his mouth and ear at the friggity frig time and the owner says 'ah, they love each other'!

Anyhoo... rant over!
Seriously though... I agree with the first half of your post, but you kind of lost it towards the end... sorry.

My dog is chipped, neutered and licensed.

I always lift his poo. My kids always lift his poo.

He is never off the lead anywhere there are kids around - the local council has a dog run area in the park, he gets off there, but not in the park, or we take him to the forest or beach.

His recall is excellent.

He's wormed.

And we have 3rd party insurance for him. And pet insurance for the vet bills.

How much more do you seriously expect me to do?

Oh and how come the cat next door can shit in my flower beds and no one is screeching about DNA testing that shit.

DNA testing = £250
Fine = £400 (current fine anyway)

No problem.

YANBU. I know a lot of people who agree with that sentiment, many parents of young children.

I don't believe people should be allowed to own dogs that can easily overpower people or exercise them off-lead in public areas. Fouling is a problem where I live too, so I have to drive to parks where the dog-owners are better at picking up. My daughter can't play on the grass outside our home as it is used as a dogs toilet. When we go out, I've got to be ready to lift her as there are at least half a dozen bulldogs living in our bit of the street. They do not return to their owners when called. I wouldn't trust them for a second just as I wouldn't trust their owners.

This "minority" is hardly a tiny number of people, cities and towns are filled with people who rob, assault, defraud and threaten others and are often under the influence of drugs or alcohol. They are enough in number to be causing people to mistrust and fear dogs in general.

Licensing could work if there were the resources to enforce them, but I would support a total ban of domestic dogs on the grounds that the fear and inconvenience that dogs cause outweighs the need for them as pet.

I think we should ban men from domestic homes.

Too many of them leave socks on the floor, causing women to sigh and tut.
And they often come close and try to kiss us when they've been drinking beer and eating curry!

It's quite obvious only the army and the police etc should be able to keep me.

Vickles, if everyone was like you then life would be grand!

wordfactory

Here - have my very first MN

YABVU to want to ban domestic pets. But I sympathise with your concern about the dog mess.

My suggestion would be, as others have said, re-introduction of the dog license. However, make the license actually mean something. So, instead of the 2s 6d or whatever it used to cost, increase the cost to something significant, yet still afforable, and make it an annual fee. Say £25 a year? Given the cost of keeping a dog there surely can't be that many responsible owners who can afford the dog's upkeep but would be deterred by amother £25pa.

Maybe before a license can be granted there should be some evidence that the owner understands about responsible dog ownership e.g. interview with a dog warden (I will come back to this) possibly even completion of a dog obedience course. If anyone is found to have breached responsible dog owbership e.g. caught allowing their dog to foul without cleaning up or not properly controlling it then they are given an official warning and if this happens repeatedly their license is revoked which means there dog is removed.

I propose that the income from the dog license is used to fund a dog warden service that polices these requirements and look out for and investigate breaches.

Oh yes and the dog would have to have some sort of disc on its collar to show that it has a current license.

You're completely right.

We should restrict the freedoms of others in order to curb the behaviour of a minority.

I also think it's a really good idea that they bring in mandatory drug, alcohol and nicotine testing for pregnant women. After all, some pregnant women take those substances in excessive and possibly harmful quantities. Therefore, we should test every single pregnant woman and impose fines for anyone testing positive. Or better, still, lock all pregnant women away for 9 months. After all, if some of them are at it then none of them can be trusted.

It's all good anyway.. It's never going to happen

FGS fuckaramaa I couldn't care less how much it would all cost - I wouldn't be paying cos I don't leave turds lying around in public places.

Good grief, AKMD, we already have laws about irresponsible and/or cruel dog ownership and management. Do you really that another, requiring that all dogs were licensed, would make any difference to those who are ignoring the existing laws?

You're being very niave.

I actually agree on principle AKMD with your proposals ... however who would pay for it and implement it. Licences were andonded before partly because it cost more to adminster than it could raise ( they were bought at Post Offices so not even a seperate "structure") and it was alsmot impossible to enforce / police.

I already have spent significant money having both my dogs (both rescues so I am consciously not contributing to the breeding industry) neutered and chipped .... adding a licence fee to that is not going to make me any more of a responsible dog owner than I already am or keeping any better track of my dogs whereabouts.

Making it more expensive to have a dog makes it either more elitist ( but not necessarily making the owners any more "responsible") or encouragees more people to dodge the system and chance the consequences of getting caught ( bit like the people that dont tax / insure cars).

But everyone would pay through rates/council tax to fund the extra dog wardens

fuckarama If all that is true about how responsibly you look after your dog, then it wouldn't affect you in any way, so you wouldn't have to do anything more.

And I'm a single parent. I live with 2 DDs on my own.

My dog makes me feel safer - he's only tiny but he has a big bark and he's protective of me - and the one prior to him kicked up such a noise when the house was being broken into that they ran away.

Does that mean I'd be allowed

Because a guard dog isn't a domestic dog?

extra dog wardens could be paid for by the fines

I don't agree that a child being scared of dogs is the child/parents' fault/problem. If you are under 3 feet high then a dog is quite able to knock you over without meaning any harm. Add slobber and big, shiny teeth and I firmly believe that the onus is on the dog owner to prevent the dog jumping up/around other people, not other people's responsibility to tolerate or welcoem the dog's curiosity.

So glad to be the butt of your jokes AKMD because me and my children lift our dog's shit

Please look at my other posts and tell me what more you expect me to do?

"Interview by dog warden"

PMSL. Pick a dozen local councils, any ones you want across England, ring them up and ask them whether they have a full time, specific person for dog warden duties other than for merely collecting strays, then come back and tell me how many of them said that they do, 5Foot5.

Or Graham, look at the Lennox case in Belfast and then tell me that dog wardens are always trustworthy

Grahamtribe I wouldn't for a single second expect the kind of inconsiderate dog owners who leave dog poo around to meekly queue up in the post office for a license. Dog wardens with powers to confiscate an unlicensed/microchipped dog and massive fines for those caught keeping dogs without a license might help though.

What about the points I have made AKMD?

Maybe accept that not everyone is as good a dog owner as you are and something needs to be done about it?