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Original poster

To be so sick of selfish dog owners...The seal pup in London

769 replies

TickTockTick21 · 22/03/2021 20:25

It’s in the news that a seal pup has been mauled by an off lead dog. The seal pup now is likely to be put down.

Recent story of an off lead husky attacking lambs and sheep . A few months ago an off lead dog mauled a deer which had to be destroyed.

Numerous stories of swans being mauled by off lead dogs. On top of the numerous stories of children being attacked by off lead dogs.

Ffs why are people so bloody stupid and selfish! Keep your dog on a lead near wildlife!

I feel so sad for the seal pup . AIBU to think laws need to be tightened around off lead dogs?

I say this as a dog lover and owner .

OP posts:
Sunrainsnow · 24/03/2021 21:03

I had to get involved when a large aggressive dog attacked a small dog (and I am nervous of dogs at the best of times. Was having a walk in park on my lunch break. A group of kids aged around 7 or 8 were sat on top of a skate ramp (no adult supervision but that's another matter). A girl had her small dog on the ramp with her. A man, with two young lads rounded the corner on the opposite side of the field and instantly let his large dog off the lead. It aimed straight at the kids on the skate ramp and dragged the small dog off by the neck. The kids jumped down to try and help. The girl who owned it kept reaching in to try and help her dog. The owner was useless across the other side of the field, he was running over and shouting, but the dog was ignoring him. I was very concerned the girl was going to get bitten the way she was putting her hands in the way. I was close enough to get over and give the large dog a kick. It let go long enough for the little one to hide under the skate ramp where the larger one couldn't get. I am not at all a confrontational person, but the owner didn't half get an earful about letting dogs off the lead when you can't control them (I was shaking from head to foot the whole time and I guess the adrenaline was running). Did feel sorry for his boys though. Can't say it's made me any less nervous of dogs!

Vanilli1978 · 24/03/2021 21:08

Hate selfish dog owners that leave dog mess on the paths and let dogs come running up to my clearly terrified daughter and say it’s ok it’s friendly . No, it’s not ok. Not everyone is a dog lover. Had 2 dogs jump all over my son when he was playing on a dog free beach. Owner didn’t care as it was only playing. Cannot stand owners who take dogs to fenced off parks and let them off lead, or owners who take dogs to beaches where they are not allowed. There’s plenty of dog beaches in our local area. On the other hand, we’ve had a few occasions lately where dog owners have seen how scared my daughter is and called their dog straight back and put it on a lead, which has been much appreciated ( this has been while walking out and about in general )

Gabbianni · 24/03/2021 21:39

The dog owner is a QC, she won't be prosecuted and in all fairness, she did go straight to the police but her dog really should be pts. It could have been a child, it might yet be a child/adult. Clearly, her mind was not on controlling her dog it was on running : ( The harness really needs looking at, who made it, where was it made, why did it break etc? Heartbroken for the seal and for those who loved seeing it every day and for those who had to witness it. RIP Freddie.

Jzpap · 24/03/2021 21:39

Turns out the owner was a Barrister. She is not going to be prosecuted apparently but has made a donation to the Rescue centre that treated the little seal.

SylvieB74 · 24/03/2021 21:42

Yes exactly, a few years ago when my son was about 18 months old a woman tut tutted and pulled her poor dog away from him as he’d kicked out at it. Well perhaps if it hadn’t had its giant wolf head literally in the pushchair, he wouldn’t have been in kicking distance would he Hmm

RedNovember · 24/03/2021 22:07

@Gabbianni

The dog owner is a QC, she won't be prosecuted and in all fairness, she did go straight to the police but her dog really should be pts. It could have been a child, it might yet be a child/adult. Clearly, her mind was not on controlling her dog it was on running : ( The harness really needs looking at, who made it, where was it made, why did it break etc? Heartbroken for the seal and for those who loved seeing it every day and for those who had to witness it. RIP Freddie.
I don't think she's said it broken. She admitted to having the dog off lead.
RedNovember · 24/03/2021 22:08

It broke

winniestone37 · 24/03/2021 22:24

Yeah I agree. I’m a dog owner and my dog is an animal and will kill other animals. I actively prevent this from happening. I don’t understand why they’re not on leads, are people naive or just mean!?

Whatamess582 · 24/03/2021 22:35

I’m horrified to read about so many of you talking about dog coming up and jumping up on you or running up to kids... I walk with my dog (admittedly a very well trained medium sized non-typically aggressive breed dog) every day in our local woods in France. There are always daycarers in the woods with groups of children under 3 on scooters or bikes etc.... If I see a group I stop a good 20m away and walk on the otherwise of the path from them with him tight on the lead. It’s not worth the worry that he might one day get nervous of a shriek or bike rattle or anything and snap or growl or go for one of them.... I don’t think he ever would but he is nervous and that my responsibility if that happens... so no.
He is also nervous of big dogs having been attacked by one when a puppy so growls at them and sometimes starts a tussle.... so any big dog on horizon, my dog is on a lead and on the other side of my body as we walk past. If my dog starts on a dog and ends up getting killed (because he wouldn’t be able to take a German Shepherd!!!) the other dog will get put down for that... that’s my responsibility

But that said. My dog does have a right to run not on a lead in places and I encourage it. So for the few people who have said ‘dogs shouldn’t be off the lead ever outside the garden’ er no. Mine is and will continue to be. But it’s surely common sense to put a dog on a lead near wildlife?

Our cocker spaniel when I was young once got through a fence to deer in well known park on London before we could get a lead on him as we got him out of the car. The keeper came out with a shotgun and told us to do something about him or he would shoot him. We never made that mistake again.

Flexy60 · 25/03/2021 00:08

Why did this stupid woman ignore notices to keep dogs on leads she obs thought she knew better the dog is dangerous it mauled the poor seal and bite people trying to save it the dog should be destroyed

JFM27 · 25/03/2021 00:10

Omg i said all this on FB and some woman had a go at me.

In my city every year we have two swans who nest in same place every year,Last year their cygnets all drowned due to irresponsible dog owners.i walked past nest today a i see its fenced off to protect them,which is good,.Ive also been shocked by number of dog ownerw who let dogs off leads in public places,by rivers etc.Surely they should be on leads.

I dont have a dog but i often in normal times sit my friends when shes at work.She only lets him off lead in non public places shes never taken him into city at all,shes an animal lover no way would she let her dog anywhere near a seal or nesting birds. Sadly i think lockdown has encouraged too many who have no idea how to train a dog to have one.How the hell did this woman whos dog attacked the seal allow it to happen,it was too far away from her i read,totally ridiculoue,it was her dog why did she not control it,Also it bit the men who tried to rescue the seal surely that shows its character.

Quit4me · 25/03/2021 00:16

Dogs should be on a lead at all times except in special fenced closed dog zones in larger parks.
No dog should ever be running around wildlife or random people who don’t want a dog near them.
I absolutely hate it when dogs come up to me, jumping sniffing etc. I don’t know them and they don’t know me. I find it totally panic inducing if it’s a larger dog and usually freeze and focus on my breathing frantically looking for the owner to call them off. Sometimes get a casual sorryyy but mostly nothing said. I don’t want your f- ing dog touching me!

Stolengoat · 25/03/2021 00:28

Cat owners are as bad, their cats killing birds and other wild animals. Also crapping in everyone's flower beds. They should tighten the laws on dogs and apply them to cats too.

CharlotteRose90 · 25/03/2021 00:59

Dogs shouldn’t be on leads at all times it’s not fair but also for pavements and areas where people walk they should. In parks and fields no. In my area they are currently building 3 dog only fields which I can not wait for. Just yesterday I had to shout over at a woman to grab her child that was about to whack mine with a stick. My dog wasn’t doing anything just strolling behind me very slow. Keep kids away from dogs they don’t know and keep dogs away from people they don’t know.

OldScrappyAndHungry · 25/03/2021 01:28

@Stolengoat yes of course - people should always walk their cat on a lead Hmm.

ArcheryAnnie · 25/03/2021 02:01

Looking at the pictures, I think it's really clear that the dog should be put down. Which is awful and incredibly sad - it's not the dog's fault, it's the owner's fault. But such a sustained attack really cannot be risked repeating.

And - awful that putting this dog down is - perhaps it will make owners think again about controlling and training their own dogs. Too many people get away scot-free after their dogs attack livestock or wildlife.

AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 25/03/2021 02:20

@Gabbianni

The dog owner is a QC, she won't be prosecuted and in all fairness, she did go straight to the police but her dog really should be pts. It could have been a child, it might yet be a child/adult. Clearly, her mind was not on controlling her dog it was on running : ( The harness really needs looking at, who made it, where was it made, why did it break etc? Heartbroken for the seal and for those who loved seeing it every day and for those who had to witness it. RIP Freddie.
Dogs are perfectly able to differentiate between a seal and a child.

Indeed, mine hates German shepherds with a passion but is perfectly happy with huskies, even though they have a similar look. He once became half grumpy with another dog for no particular reason - it turned out the other dog was half German shepherd.

He also hates motorbikes - and if he hears what might be one (based on tone and pitch of engine noise) he'll check over his shoulder to see if it has two wheels or four and will act accordingly.

A dog that attacks a seal can quite easily be great with children and other dogs. The dog in question appears to be a Patterdale terrier type - bred for ratting. I doubt it's ever safe around rodents, but this has no bearing on suitability as a family pet.

Dogs are more intelligent than you give them credit for. The idea that a dog that bites a seal is likely to turn its attention to a child is about as accurate as suggesting someone who is scared of spiders will also be scared of fish.

RedNovember · 25/03/2021 02:22

[quote TheNestedIf]@RedNovember

It didn't break.

www.standard.co.uk/news/london/freddie-mercury-seal-dog-attack-owner-apology-barrister-b925952.html[/quote]
Yes I know, sorry I was correcting my grammar in my post where I had used broken instead of broke :)

MrsHookey · 25/03/2021 02:59

Another one who wants to see dogs being leashed in public by default. I would like penalties regularly implemented for owners. Licences are not enough. I've lived in areas with licences and this made no difference to the behaviour of dogs or behaviour of owners.

CathyAndCo · 25/03/2021 03:01

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

TheNestedIf · 25/03/2021 03:07

@RedNovember

Ah, yes. That'll teach me to note poster's names properly. Sorry.

MarleytheDog · 25/03/2021 03:51

Ffs why are people so bloody stupid and selfish! Keep your dog on a lead near wildlife

Nobody can argue with that. Any dogs I have owned (and there have been a few) have been trained within an inch of their lives. I have always leashed them around wildlife. No decent dog owner would disagree with that

SummersMumma · 25/03/2021 07:00

Just one last comment on here -
For the various people that say "my dog has the right to run off lead in fields / woods / parks when no-one is around" or various versions of this - how do you know where the wildlife is? Isn't the point that its wild?
How about I you really must let your dogs free you muzzle them whilst off lead then take the muzzle off when you put them back on leads?
I'm sure the lady and her dog that started this debate did not go out thinking - my dog is going to attack and maim a seal today.
The whole point is surely what can be done to prevent needless attacks happening in future.

tilder · 25/03/2021 07:21

www.gov.uk/government/publications/protected-marine-species/seals

'It is an offence to intentionally or recklessly kill, injure or take a seal'

So to be an offense would need to have been intentional or reckless.