To think there should be more controls on dogs and more banned breeds

[Merryclaire]

Just seen on the news that another young child has been killed by dogs - that must be at least 4 this year in the UK - there have been a number more that have thankfully not been fatal. Always seems to be (most often) a US bully or sometimes a husky. Why are there not more dog breeds being banned (especially the bully)? And why is there not more noise about dog ownership rules in general being tightened up?
For the record I have always liked dogs but these regular child attacks scare me.

Why shouldnt someone drink and drive or go over the speed limit on your street near you and your dog? They might believe they're safe, that they're the best driver in the world. So thats alright then is it?
How about someone walks near you and your dog with a pet wild boar? They've 'trained' it (whatever that means). Its completely safe unleashed, according to them

Oh. Give it a rest. That is not comparable at all whatsoever. You never answered me about why you don't cry about everyone having a speed restrictor in their car?

If the wild boar is trained let them get the fuck on with it. My dog won't give a shiney shite if it's a boar, horse, cat, dog, deer or squirrel. As long as it doesn't interfere with me and my dog I don't care what people choose to own as pets

@Flaxmeadow

I like the look of the laws in Hamburg that you posted about, and would love to see similar introduced in the UK, but having all dogs kept on short leads at all times seems quite extreme and disproportionate.

AllThingsServeTheBeam
If someone regularly took the same walk as you and they said 'can you leash your dog, im allergic to them/scared of them'
Would you

What the hell has that got to do with it?

No I wouldn't. I'd tell them to move away from me. They wouldn't be near me if they hadn't followed me

However, in the last 12 months, I have been bitten by a random dog, and my DH has been attacked (thankfully not serious but terrifying). There have been 2 attacks in my street in the last 3 months. I also saw a dog viciously attack and injure another walker’s dog a few weeks ago (two adults struggled to pull it off). Only yesterday my friend told me her sister’s dog bit her nephew at the weekend.

That's an astonishing number of incidents in a short time, @Merryclaire .

There are lots of dogs living in my road, and we are approx 200 yards from open countryside where lots of non-residents walk their dogs. I regularly see my SIL and go out with her to her local park, which is busy with dogs being exercised, I have dogsat various friends' dogs in the 18 months since I lost my own dog and regularly go dog walking with a friend.

Not only have I not seen any dog attacks in the last 12 months, on dogs or humans, I haven't even heard about any - and it's very gossipy where I live, so I'm sure I would have, had there been any. The last dog attack I can recall was at least 8 years ago, when a spaniel went for a neighbour's retired greyhound and gave him a nasty gash.

In the 33 years that I owned dogs, none of them ever bit anyone, save for a nip from one of my terriers when I clumsily hurt her by accidentally tugging too hard on a tiny bit of matted coat in her armpit. But then I grew up with dogs, my DM was a dog whisperer (she could get any dog to do anything) so I guess I learned how to treat them and how to train them.

I don't know how accurate my perception is, but it seems to me that these horrific attacks on small children have mostly happened in the home or on private premises which, if at all accurate, would seem to imply that the main risk isn't from dogs in public places but in or around the home.

I would welcome making it harder for people to get dogs, and tighter controls on breeding. I'm trying to adopt a dog at them moment, and rescue organisations seem to be very strict in who they will rehome dogs to. If breeders were as strict, there would be far less of these awful events imo.

Who are all these people marching up to dog owners telling them off and stalking them on walks?

Flaxmeadow 😂

If I say I’m scared by dog-hating conspiracists following me to the woods do you think the Council will ban them or put in some sort of Zone they aren’t allowed in without a responsible adult?

I know. I wish MN would start a special section for them.

You can always hope! Maybe they won't be able to walk alone without a license

AllThingsServeTheBeam
So you see that public place as just for you and your off leash dog and other people shouldn't be there. Gotcha

Apparently this attack was at a farm? Possibly not the kind of dogs you think?

Putting words in my mouth now are we?

Why does the person stalking me get to dictate what I do when I am no where near them?

Look, I am doing nothing wrong. You've just got to suck it up.

It's interesting you say you know how to handle dogs, and I expect that has something to do with not having a bad experience. I worked in RSPCA kennels as a teenager and trained as a veterinary nurse in the 90s. I handled many sick, frightened and sometimes aggressive dogs, often alone, and was only ever bitten by a cat. Even so, I notice an increase in what looks like out of control dogs, and I wonder why. I also think that when you care for dogs you also learn to respect their animal nature and learn never to risk your own or someone else's safety. I am sad my own DS is now nervous of dogs, after nearly being bitten while out, and that I feel slightly worried myself when we go to favourite places and dogs are bounding about. As I say, dogs seem different these days.

It looks like old weavers cottages next to an old farm buidling. There could be a number of households at the place.
The dogs that hospitalised people before, possibly the same dogs, were described as some kind of mastiff type.

The Police have asked people not to speculate online.

So someone goes to the same public space as you for a walk and some fresh air, in the countryside, and you take this to mean you're being stalked ?
The countryside is for anyone to walk around, not just you and your off leash hound

Im not speculating. It's what is being reported in the national papers by witnesses

It’s still speculation.

Nevermind, I’m not going to demand you leash your online speculation immediately.
It just seems a little prurient and NITS to play guessing games after a child has been killed so horrifically, even if you dislike dogs as intensely as you seem to.

I am nowhere near anyone for the majority of the walk. They'd have to come to me to be near me as I am in the middle of the field. For the other bit, I am either in a wheelchair with DP slowly pushing me or hobbling slower than a tortoise. So if someone wants to walk that slow to walk beside me, they're more than welcome, but my dog won't be on a lead whilst they do it.

Once we get to the road he gets put back on.

Either that or I'll tell them I'll change my dog walking hours.

And anyway. Unless this person is you, and fortunately I don't think I've met you IRL. This is a completely made up situation. So... I am still doing nothing wrong ☺️

<hums>
If there’s a bustle in the hedgerow
don’t be alarmed now……

😂

Stairway to hell!!!

You are letting your dog run around off leash in a public space, and when I asked if you would leash your dog if someone asked who was scared or allergic, you said no. Thats it.
It has nothing to do with anyone stalking you

He's not running around off leash near anyone. He is either walking or fetching his ball.

You are being completely unreasonable. This situation is a fiction. Stop. Read a book. Do something productive like stopping people drink driving.