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

[TickTockTick21]

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 .

@ArcheryAnnie

I have said I think the dog should be put down, which is just awful, as not the dog's fault - but as well as removing a dog that has already committed a serious attack, it will concentrate the minds of everyone else out there with poorly-trained dogs and a sense of entitlement about ignoring "please no off-lead" signs.

The owners should also be banned from getting another dog for at least 10 years.

This

@ferretface

Yes dogs should be on leads more. Mine only goes off the lead in open secluded public spaces where we can see what's there. Straight back on the lead when we see or pass someone, unless it's another off lead dog. If there's a family, someone without a dog, someone with a dog on lead etc, straight back on the lead. On lead walks are totally fine.

A lot of people saying the dog is dangerous or it should be put down etc don't really understand dogs. Chances are this dog that attacked the poor seal is totally fine around kids, other dogs etc but saw this seal as some exotic sort of prey species (or maybe attacked out of fear). Clearly, this dog cannot be trusted around seals, but doesn't mean it is automatically dangerous around kids, other dogs etc.

You don't need to understand dogs to realise what happened was horrific. Totally unprovoked. Dog ran some distance. Presumably zero recall at that point. Latched on. Inflicted hideous injuries. Would not let go.

It wasn't just a little thing. It was certainly not normal. If that dog does anything else, with that record? Its not good. I don't particularly want to trust to whatever the 'chances are'.

Exotic prey species? Seriously? It was asleep.

The laws should definitely be changed and dogs should only be allowed off lead on private property. It's lucky it wasn't a small child it injured. It's devastating to hear about Freddie, the poor thing must have been in so much pain :(

XenoBitch what will you do if your dog kills someone's cat? What will you do if your dog leaps over a garden gate and kills someone's rabbit?

The point is not the cuteness of the animal killed, nor the culpability of a hunting animal doing what comes naturally, it's the culpability of the owner. It's the owner who makes decisions about where to walk their dog, whether to have the dog on lead or roaming free, whether to train the dog or not.

Should you be prosecuted, and your dog euthanised, for killing squirrels? It depends on where in the country you are, and the colour of the squirrel. If your greyhound killed grey squirrels, nobody cares as they are an invasive pest species - and in fact if your greyhound caught one and did not kill it, you would be required by law to humanely kill it rather than let it escape. On the other hand, if your greyhound killed a red squirrel, or even disturbed its nest, you could be prosecuted, as red squirrels are an endangered, protected species. It's up to you to know the difference, and to know where in the country (red squirrel enclaves) you should keep your dog on the lead. Your dog doesn't know red squirrels are endangered, and would not care.

@LibertyMole

Seals are predators as well as prey. Maybe all seals should be put down for killing fish.

Er, this is already the law. One of the lawful reasons you are allowed to kill a seal is if it's buggering up your fishing nets. This is not the "gotcha" you seem to think it is.

As tilder says the eyewitness accounts are clear that the dog ran some distance and passers by thought the owner was concerned for the dog running off but she said she was worried he was going for the seal. She clearly knew. Then the dog bit one of the rescuers. It quite clearly isn’t a safe animal to be off lead around other animals. If the dog belonged to someone other than a wealthy and educated white woman I suspect the dangerous dogs squad would be battering down the door to remove it

Well, perhaps I should book an appointment for my greyhound who has killed 2 squirrels

How the fuck have you allowed your greyhound to kill two squirrels.

Some people here seem to want to have their cake and eat it. Your dog is either a wild animal and should be treated as such, OR it is a pet and should be treated as such.

And can we stop with the endless tedious comparisons to cats. The key and crucial difference here is your average moggy is not going to be capable of mauling a small child or a fucking seal to death and is therefore significantly less danger to humans if out of control/feral. It's not really about tit for tat.

And yes, I have two cats, and they are pets and are treated as pets. They do not roam. They do not shit in other people's gardens. They do not kill wildlife. In other words, I take responsibility for them as their owner.

They literally kill for the fun of it

As opposed to what? Do dogs kill altruistically?

@ArcheryAnnie

XenoBitch what will you do if your dog kills someone's cat? What will you do if your dog leaps over a garden gate and kills someone's rabbit?

The point is not the cuteness of the animal killed, nor the culpability of a hunting animal doing what comes naturally, it's the culpability of the owner. It's the owner who makes decisions about where to walk their dog, whether to have the dog on lead or roaming free, whether to train the dog or not.

Should you be prosecuted, and your dog euthanised, for killing squirrels? It depends on where in the country you are, and the colour of the squirrel. If your greyhound killed grey squirrels, nobody cares as they are an invasive pest species - and in fact if your greyhound caught one and did not kill it, you would be required by law to humanely kill it rather than let it escape. On the other hand, if your greyhound killed a red squirrel, or even disturbed its nest, you could be prosecuted, as red squirrels are an endangered, protected species. It's up to you to know the difference, and to know where in the country (red squirrel enclaves) you should keep your dog on the lead. Your dog doesn't know red squirrels are endangered, and would not care.

I am in several greyhound/lurcher owner groups. Many have dogs that have indeed sadly killed cats. Mostly ones that wondered into their own garden. They are not a danger to people, which is the general criteria for putting a dog to sleep. I have an ex who had a lovely lab that was minding his own business in his own garden and a neighbours Alsatian leapt over the fence and mauled him. My ex's mum tried to pull the GSD off and was badly bitten in the process. No charges given to the owner, and the dog was not required to be put to sleep. They did have to sort their fencing out though.

Regarding the squirrels.. they were grey.. and one was still alive. I had to approach a stranger to finish it off as I was in absolute bits. We both ended up crying. Was awful and I was so mad at my dog.

Was awful and I was so mad at my dog.

It was your fault, not your dog's.

There's a thread and photo on my local NextDoor app, about dozens of dog poo bags left on top of and around a dog waste bin on Ludshott Common, Surrey, which is already full.
Many dog owners are irresponsible, selfish, lazy individuals in more ways than one.

@XenoBitch
It's 100% your fault and not the dogs. You should keep it on a lead.

I mean while we're on the cats thing I come from a country where cats don't roam and I've always thought it is bonkers that's just seen as normal here. From the POV of a cat owner I'd just be endlessly worried about my two if they roamed due to the danger of cars or aggressive dogs.

@Fridacaninelo

Was awful and I was so mad at my dog.

It was your fault, not your dog's.

She vanished into the trees (in a vast country park) and came back with a squirrel. They are not slow animals.. I can only guess it was sick enough to be slow.

[quote MiddleClassMother]@XenoBitch
It's 100% your fault and not the dogs. You should keep it on a lead. [/quote]
In a massive country park.. where you do not need to keep dogs on leads? My dog is a greyhound.. she loves to run, do mad big circular zoomies, go roll in fox poo etc. Keeping on her a lead in a big open space would be cruel.

XenoBitch pest species or not, and legally required to kill it notwithstanding, actually killing the squirrel must have been awful.

Which I suppose it part of the point. I bet the owner of the seal-killing dog really does feel awful, but it doesn't change anything - the seal is still dead, and rather horribly so. That dog is still out of control. And nothing happens.

@Fridacaninelo

Well, perhaps I should book an appointment for my greyhound who has killed 2 squirrels

How the fuck have you allowed your greyhound to kill two squirrels.

Some people here seem to want to have their cake and eat it. Your dog is either a wild animal and should be treated as such, OR it is a pet and should be treated as such.

And can we stop with the endless tedious comparisons to cats. The key and crucial difference here is your average moggy is not going to be capable of mauling a small child or a fucking seal to death and is therefore significantly less danger to humans if out of control/feral. It's not really about tit for tat.

And yes, I have two cats, and they are pets and are treated as pets. They do not roam. They do not shit in other people's gardens. They do not kill wildlife. In other words, I take responsibility for them as their owner.

She is nearly 11... two killings in that time is nothing. Again, why should she be put to sleep? She is not a danger to people.

@Fridacaninelo

I mean while we're on the cats thing I come from a country where cats don't roam and I've always thought it is bonkers that's just seen as normal here. From the POV of a cat owner I'd just be endlessly worried about my two if they roamed due to the danger of cars or aggressive dogs.

I agree. Roaming cats get killed by cars, stolen by people who think they are stray etc. I have lost several to both means. Is heartbreaking.

Keeping on her a lead in a big open space would be cruel

Don't have a dog then, if that doesn't sit well with you and you don't have the big open space required to allow her what she needs without endangering other creatures.

I love bengal cats, but I don't have one because that is a breed which needs the space for lots of exercise, and I am not prepared, as a responsible cat owner, to have a cat that roams. I have two instead who are well suited to non-roaming life.

Again, why should she be put to sleep?

Er, I didn't say she should be put to sleep. I said she should be on a leash.

@Fridacaninelo

Keeping on her a lead in a big open space would be cruel

Don't have a dog then, if that doesn't sit well with you and you don't have the big open space required to allow her what she needs without endangering other creatures.

I love bengal cats, but I don't have one because that is a breed which needs the space for lots of exercise, and I am not prepared, as a responsible cat owner, to have a cat that roams. I have two instead who are well suited to non-roaming life.

I could live on a farm and she could still kill wildlife. My grandad had a farm and his JRT would regularly kill feral cats.

Most people keep Bengals indoors because they get stolen. Very high value and unusual cats.

@Fridacaninelo

Again, why should she be put to sleep?

Er, I didn't say she should be put to sleep. I said she should be on a leash.

Sorry, several posters have said any dog that kills wildlife should be PTS.

The thing is plenty of people would say I was cruel for having indoor cats because it's not natural, cats need to roam etc. But that's exactly my point - they're domestic pets, they're not wild animals. If you believe that your dog is a wild animal and requires freedom etc and cannot be leashed, then why own it in the first place?

I speak as a dog lover BTW. I live in a city and see so many people walking these massive dogs in the street with all the petrol fumes and it just makes me sad because I agree those dogs should have the space to run freely. But that cannot be done responsibly in a private space. I realise that restricts dog ownership to people with large gardens or land but surely as a dog lover that's what you'd want for your pet anyway?

In a PUBLIC space, that should say.