Another dog attack, man killed, can this just go on?

[IthinkIamAnAlien]

Just on the news - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-66817795

Week after week, there is something wrong with dogs (and the owners) today, I grew up with them and this never, ever happened. Maybe because dogs were treated as dogs and not trophy animals. Awful for everyone.

Are we absolutely sure that microchips have no effect on dog's health or behaviour? i only ask because I don't remember dogs being so frequently aggressive in the past and not sure what research was done before making it universal.

I am a dog lover but really dont understand the appeal of owning a dog that could kill or do serious damage....unless you are the type of arse who owns it as a status symbol or weapon. There are so many breeds that couldn't inflict serious damage even if they wanted to, smaller heads, less muscle, weaker jaws, an out of control dachsand, spaniel or poodle wouldnt be good obviously but it would really struggle to inflict serious damage to an adult. The Spanish system of muzzling dogs over a certain weight seems to be heading in the right direction, as once XL Bullies are banned someone will create an equally horrific breed

"Are we absolutely sure that microchips have no effect on dog's health or behaviour? i only ask because I don't remember dogs being so frequently aggressive in the past and not sure what research was done before making it universal."

Oh christ. Here they come.

As a dog owner, I would be fine with that and would absolutely obey such a law. I'm willing to bet the tossers with aggressive trophy dogs would not, mind

Certainly any dog that has killed anybody in the last twenty years. Absolutely.
So Pitbull, Rottweiler, German Shepherd, Bulldogs etc.
Its not rocket science - the above are strong, dangerous animals. It’s akin to walking a trained lion.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_dog_attacks_in_the_United_Kingdom#2000–2009

Those breeds, few if any.

But other breeds, more than ever. The number is up. The ban, that was mean to reduce attacks, has done no such thing.

Because it's not removed dangerous dogs. It's meant that the dangerous ones now are of different breeds to those specified in the Act

Meanwhile Poodles and Chihuahuas do not need to be muzzled.

Very happy they are banning them. Someone who lives locally has one and walks it up and down our street to a park. He has it on a sturdy harness and it looks fairly calm but I've also seen it go for a smaller dog and it took the man's brute strength to hold it back. I cross the road to avoid it and have cautioned my teen to do the same. I like dogs but it terrifies me.

They're entirely passive RFIDs. I don't see how it would cause health issues

Just seen a tik tok video of a dog on the run in Birmingham. It was chasing people all over the place. A grown man was running away, and the dog literally pulled him to the ground. Very scary stuff

Well they don't enrich my life. So what? I have no doubt there are plenty of things that enrich your life that would leave me stone cold.

They are a public nuisance. My dog is not a public nuisance, as I am a responsible owner. I live in an area where there are no XL Bullies or similar, so why should all the lovely people here with all their lovely dogs be punished?

I could quite happily ground all those small planes that fly over my garden every time the sun shines. They are a nuisance. What about all those men in lycra that cycle down country lanes two abreast. They are a nuisance. Shall I go on?

That's just silly.

Plus we all have to be trained, licensed and insured to drive a car.

Transport is a necessity. Dogs, particularly dangerous ones, are not.

Good grief, a boxer looks nothing like a Bully XL. My aunt had a boxer when I was a kid and it was the soppiest thing.

Mind you, I've never actually seen a Bully XL in the flesh. They don't seem to be a thing down my way. It's all cockapoos and gundogs (I counted 10 different gundog breeds on one 2-mile walk the other day), and the occasional whippet or lurcher round here.

Your dog may never have been a public nuisance (in your opinion) but it has that potential.

Plus I can't tell by looking at you and your dog whether or not you are a responsible owner.

I don't dislike dogs, though I hate it when they jump up on me. They've become so ubiquitous though. It's too much.

I dont know what area your from but in mine when I was a child pre microchip aggressive dogs were not bred it was bad for business if you sold a dog that mauled someone people would buy your dog and fighting dogs were bred from fighting dogs and were not sold outside the community same as rat dogs why would you sell your livelihood these days they just breed and sell no class no conscience

Thanks for this, is clear your average dog isn’t a problem - it’s the same breeds over and over, bull breeds, Rottweilers, German shepherds, husky types. Big dogs who can’t be held back by the average owner. It’s these dogs which need to be muzzled in public, be subject to strict ownership criteria. Your average toy poodle is really not an issue!

I have two sisters who own large dogs and neither of them are getting them neutered because of the minimal side effects it has on the dog's health. I personally think this is irresponsible. A chip on a dog doesn't effect their health.

@user9630721458 plenty of other animals have to microchipped and we haven’t had a spate of, for example, racehorses (compulsory microchipping since 2000) killing people so I highly doubt we can pin it on that 🙄

Or maybe it’s all part of Bill Gates’ master plan….

Where we lived in London, XL Bullies (and similar) were a 'thing' amongst a cohort of local men and their associates, from one particular estate. They were used to intimidate, for protection, for status and for dog fighting. I've seen these men using a dog to chase cats, presumably for 'practice'.

Unfortunately, in summer they used to hang around the local park smoking weed, dealing drugs, and weren't particularly vigilant about keeping their aggressive, wheezing, stocky chainsaws on a lead. So it became something of a no-go area for local parents.

Just seen Rushi Sunak explain what is happening. A PP was had already posted about it.

I'm pleased that something is being done about it.

I’ve told this elsewhere before but last year I met two young men, on separate occasions, who had X Bullies. I was at the bus stop with one and I asked him if he was taking his puppy to a training class. He wasn’t going to. No idea how to handle a dog, never had one before. Another lad at the vet had one with cropped ears. Again, no idea how to look after the dog and not going to do any training. Cropping ears is illegal yet happening. Vets should be obliged to report that. I worry about both of these dogs, cute puppies but will grow into massive dogs with no training.

Thanks for your thoughts re microchips. I think it's reasonable to ask. There are very rare incidences of inflammation and tumorous growths, which I don't draw conclusions from, as not a scientist. It's worth considering they may cause discomfort or other problems, I believe, despite one poster being unnecessarily rude!

Yes, we are absolutely sure.

Most of the dogs that have attacked probably don't even HAVE a chip...

Least we forget, a man has been savaged to death by two dogs. He was walking down the road, near a school.

How is the general public supposed to identify which dogs are well trained and which aren't? There's no time to 'assess' them anyway, in the split second before a dog attacks.

Not sure why you are lumping cats in with dogs?? I haven't come across too many killer cats.