Can we muzzle all dogs in public yet (warning, graphic image of mauled hand)

[lfYouLikePinaCoIadas]

“Whilst out walking a route that Tom has been on numerous times, he was the victim of an unprovoked attack by an unleashed dog. The dog attacked Tom multiple times as he tried to protect his puppy from being mauled by the dog and was left with horrific injuries. What is more horrifying, however, is that the owners of the dog didn’t try to help and fled the scene leaving Tom bleeding from his artery on his wrist.

Wife Katy recalls the moment that she opened the door to find her husband standing there after the attack: ‘‘Tom managed to get home where I had to tourniquet, to try to stem the bleeding, while waiting for 999. He lost several litres of blood in the short time until the ambulance arrived. Our two children were at home at the time and were woken up by the commotion. My 7-year-old was terrified and thought that her dad was doing to die from the blood loss.’’

https://www.familiesonline.co.uk/news/dad-of-2-viciously-mauled-by-dog-trying-to-protect-family-puppy

Imagine it had been a child’s face, or neck, or little body, instead of an adult’s hand.

Absolutely sick of nothing being done to protect the public.

YABU - dogs are man’s best friend
YANBU - something needs to be done

I don't agree with a lot you've said @VincentVaguer but I definitely agree with this!

I think it works both ways, owners need to keep their animals safely under control, but, people also need to understand that there's risks involved when they choose to interact with an animal or enter areas where they are and cannot expect all those risks to be mitigated and blame someone else when it goes wrong.

Choosing to interact with an animal is different to being accosted by one of course, and no, I don't think that everyone should learn about dog behaviour so that they can deal with unruly and uncontrolled dogs approaching them (although it would help them in that situation) those people should be controlling their dogs to start with.

But similarly, you can't expect to just walk up and interact with any animal and for that animal to respond in a predictable way because that's not how animals work, even muzzled and on lead ones.

If you own a dog then you're responsible for keeping it away from others unless invited, and if you're doing the inviting then you accept some responsibility towards anything that goes wrong because your own choice put you in reach of the animal in the first place.

I agree with this. And I have a dog.

Wow

But you re ok with the dog owner refusing to even apologise? thats perfectly normal behaviour?

Always the woman who is the "crazy" one but the man is ok.....

Just being goady now.

No. My kids and I genuinely wouldn't give a shit if a dog ran up to our picnic. We are used to moving at the speed of light to protect our food from greedy dogs, we own a couple. If the dogs were friendly we'd be delighted to see them. And that's why we have a nicer time when we leave the house.

Oh don’t start with the bloody sex wars argument. It’s completely irrelevant.

My elderly Mum has never been the same after watching her small dog get ripped apart by two dogs in her garden a few years ago - they jumped her low fence from the street. She ended up moving as she became too scared to use her garden, and has never really recovered emotionally from it. She is in her 80's, so if the dogs had turned on her, she would never have recovered physically either.

The owner never apologised and refused to engage with the community resolution order to keep his dogs on a lead in public and increase his garden security to prevent them escaping. He basically ruined my Mums life.

Some dogs would easily yank away from their owner if they wished - where a dog has strong muscles or is heavier than the owner a lead may not be enough.

No point in distressing older dogs who pose no threat and who would not adjust easily to wearing a muzzle. Their owners are usually the compliant ones re leashes.
What is needed is enforcement of the legislation re the uses of restraint and control.
I have never ever witnessed an owner with a large dog running loose being approached by any official. If a member of the public remonstrates they are met with abuse.
Raise the licence fee and use the money for dog patrol officers. Unrestrained dogs to be impounded with a hefty release fee. Dogs observed to be aggressive whilst impounded to be euthanased. Uncollected dogs to be rehomed.

Exactly this. Dog licences to fun dog wardens who should patrol parks/ roads etc. and be able to ask owners to produce the licence for their dog so people can't pass them about like status badges. And let's be honest, there are particular breeds who are much more likely to attack. Not even due to the intrinsic nature of the dogs, but the type of owner who want to own a dog which looks like that. I also think you shouldn't be able to get a licence for a dog unless you live in a suitable property, anything more than a lap dog, you need a garden, maybe even a minimum rental period before you can get a dog so people lodging or in temp accommodation can't get a dog that they probably can't keep. And a £500 licence fee would detract people from buying expensive puppies and encourage them to adopt, so everyone wins.

So??? Re your pointless whataboutery, we cannot legislate for the number of adults here (other than reduce immigration if that’s your bag) and there are laws around assault and murder. But we can reduce the number of dogs being owned by shit-owners and/or make the owners behave better by introducing more laws

Pointless whataboutery as you call it could very much apply to your posts.. as it's been said, you will I lay reduce the very small number of attacks by heavily policing this new law. These would have to be people officially trained to do so. We struggle to get the police force to enforce the law as it is, resulting in 100s attacks daily but you think that we should pay forces to police dog owners when less than a handful a day cause some form of trauma.

Your reality is totally disproportionate to the real world.

HavfrueDenizKisi · Today 07:38

It would be a shame to muzzle my tiny poodle.

I was bitten by a French Bulldog, which holed my jeans and left four puncture marks on my lower leg. Even when I showed the owner, he got angry and aggressive, swearing that the dog didn't do it.

I've got a lab and she's likely to steal your food, so I watch everywhere and put her on the lead, if I think she's going to be a pain. I'd muzzle her, if it became law. She loves people, but isn't so keen on strange dogs.

But it is friendly. Annoying, yes. If you don't like animals touching your food why not stay at home in your sterile house?

FFS some dog owners. I don't want to be "friends" with your dog. I do not want your dog anywhere near me. Keep it to yourself. Controlled. Away from other people, and their picnics or children or whatever else. It is YOUR dog and it is so blindingly entitled to think that others should be delighted with its "friendly" presence.

Haha, £500 per dog to have wardens 7/7 patroling everywhere 6am to 12pm. That's money that's going to go far!

Amazing the lengths and justifications people will go to defend their right to be a shit dog owner.

Stupid comment 🙄

LastTrainEast · Today 11:15

And someone remind me what those small dogs were bred for and what they are good at.

Jack Russels and Poodles were bred to kill rats.

VincentVaguer · Today 13:03

But it is friendly. Annoying, yes. If you don't like animals touching your food why not stay at home in your sterile house?

If you think that a dog trampling on your picnic food and stealing some of it is friendly, I'm surprised that nobody has had stern words with you. I've got a dog and I'd be bloody annoyed if some selfish, uncaring, irresponsible tosser let their dog off to steal half of my lunch.

We need the law to be applied more vigorously than it is now. The dangerous dog act allows for prison sentences for the owners of dogs that cause death / injury and this should be used more. If your dog bites someone you should automatically expect to serve time in prison. That would help combat the irresponsible owners who let this shit happen.

Yep.
Dogs are living sentient beings they don’t need to be on leads and muzzled as the numbers show.
Crap dog owners and breeds that are breed for guarding and aggression are another issue. Some rickety old Labrador that’s been a trained family pet for years not so much.

I agree.

Why? I grew up with dogs but because my parents were sensible and I was brought up to respect animals all was good. Why should children be denied the pleasure of pets because a) some parents are idiots b) some children can't be trusted not to poke and prod animals?