Another fatal dog attack

[upat4am]

So saddened by the news a 10 year old girl has been killed by what sounds to be an XL Bully.

I'm shocked that any family would keep one after so many attacks. There are worse things than kindly being PTS.

It seems like the same line every time "loving family dog, never done anything like this".

How many do there have to be before people realise any XL Bully has it in them. It's not their fault, they're not bad dogs, it's just genetic the same way a dachshund barks or a spaniel's tail wags the dog.

Metropolitan police state this:

Report a crime about banned dogs
If you think someone has or is breeding banned dogs, please report it online.
If you see a banned dog loose, please report this online.
You can report a nuisance or disturbance by a banned dog, which could include a dog bite.
If the dog seems to be out of control, let us know by calling 101.
If a crime is happening or someone is in danger, call 999. If you have a hearing or speech impairment, use our textphone service 18000 or text us on 999 if you've pre-registered with the emergencySMSservice.

But how would muzzling have helped the poor girl in this case? She was in her own home 😔

I agree with this, that the child can't chose to be around or not around one. It's up to the parents to make the right choices for the child.

I actually think that the parents should be convicted of manslaughter, murder or whatever the relevant conviction would be with a long prison sentence and held liable for the childs death. Maybe if something like that happens the parents who believe these beasts are safe will reconsider.

I mean if they don't value their childs safety, maybe they will value their own freedom if they are so selfish and that will make them reconsider having these beasts in their homes.

I mean if they murdered their own child they'd go to jail wouldn't they, how is having a beast in your home around your child any different. Its a disgrace these dogs havent all been culled by law, whats it going to take?

Sorry I was unclear, I actually meant the police response to the report

Our neighbour has some kind of bull breed dog, I think mastif? Anyway, one day I saw her with this massive dog on a long lead and she was really struggling with it, the dog was clearly scared and I was walking towards them with my 6 year old. I quite clearly said to my child, let's go this way (in the other direction) and my neighbour said, it's okay she won't hurt you, she's just frightened. That does not make me feel any better!! A frightened dog is a dangerous dog. Since then I have never seen her walk it, the dog sits in the hallway window barking and growling at all that walk past their house.
Anyway, the dog escaped on Halloween and bit someone. Luckily it wasn't a child but even so, someone had been harmed, it was only a matter of time.

I was supposed to mention this dog has cropped ears too, so I doubt it's come from a decent breeder

Justleaveitblankthen · Today 05:57

From what I see, people keep them for the Kudos and attention they get out on the street.
They walk 200 yards and everyone stops to chat and 'sympathise' with the muzzle law.. and pet them... and show how cool they are to the Owner.
It's pathetic. 🤨

Kudos?! I assume the owner is a moron and cross the street to avoid them (as do most sane people)

That makes no sense.

my answer to the other poster was fine. A reasonable comparison.

I saw what I think would pass the threshold for an XL bully the other week off lead and go for the throat of a puppy. Very scary indeed. Luckily the owner got the dog under control but it could have been a very different outcome easily.

What she has said isn't shameful, you are just being weird.

in the beginning I thought she had probably been punished enough (her child dying) but various posts have made me reconsider & now I'm on the fence. I'd need to know a lot more about the situation,

I don't think Death note is anything you are accusing them of being.

I hope this tragedy leads to change and saves over children’s lives. I think bans, rules and regulations are the way forward - social pressure isn’t enough. One problem is how to define an XL Bully in law. I think this is why the bbc didn’t report the breed yet as it may take a blood test to check the dog fills the criteria of the current breed definition. So many sub-breeds being spun off to get around the ban.

Some countries order all dogs over a certain weight to be muzzled in public. Some cities have specific rules too - eg in Berlin any dog that goes on public transport has to be muzzled, or else carried in a transport container.

Swiss law states that “dog owners must ensure that their animal does not endanger or frighten humans or animals” and has many obligations dog owners have to comply with including licences and mandatory training courses, as well as rules on how dogs are kept in the home.

"The girl's family, who had been living on the property since the summer, are thought to have connections with the landowners and were believed to be providing security for a shop"

""Savannah told us she had a new dog. It was not that long ago. We used to come onto the park and play with the other children."
However, the official expressed some concerns: "I have never seen or heard the dog and I am here every day. There have been a couple of incidents when people had seen the dog come as far as the yard gate without any muzzle or lead on and that was a bit scary."

I don't know why the police are releasing statements about the little girl having a loving relationship with the dog IF it is true it was rehomed so recently. There is a general 3 3 3 rule for rehomed dogs. First 3 days: the dog is very overwhelmed and can be frightened wnd hide. After the first 3 weeks, the dog starts to learn the new routine of the home. After 3 months, the dog begins to find its feet and its 'true self' emerges. Its just nonsense to talk of a loving relationship after such a short period (largely of unrest) for the dog.

I very rarely do a SIOB on MN, but saying that "some families" would basically love the victim status of their child dying horrifically is shameful on this particular thread about a 10 yo girl. There was absolutely no need to make that really crass comment that has no relevance whatsoever to this incident. It was in very poor taste at best.

And fwiw I think the family should be prosecuted for having an out of control dog.

my answer to the other poster was fine. A reasonable comparison.

But crushing all cars isn't a reasonable comparison to culling XL bullies. Cars have uses, and there would be significant effects in society if they were all taken away. And even if you think XL bullies also have uses, they don't have any that can't be met by another breed of dog.

I hope this tragedy leads to change and saves over children’s lives

It won't.

I very rarely do a SIOB on MN

What's SIOB? Google isn't helping me.

If there are 12 million dog owners in the UK, then it's not difficult to see how even a small percentage of this number means that there will be an ever increasing number of incapable owners and subsequently, victims of dog attacks.

If we as a society choose to let people be pet owners willy nilly, then we have to accept that a proportion will be shit owners. That's how it works.

It's the same with lots of things in life. You either pass laws to try and forcibly prevent actions which are harmful to society as a whole, or you don't and things will play out as they will.

Urgh probably showing my age here. It's "sharp intake of breath", was common in AOL online chatrooms in what felt like a lifetime ago 😒

@DeathNote11

What do you mean "these communities"?

In my opinion if a dog is potentially dangerous enough to have to be muzzled then it has no place living amongst us. All those on the register should be gently and humanely culled. I love animals dearly but enough is enough.

So a fatal attack a day is still only 1 in 32,000.

Not really sure how many maimings make a killing though, so can't be 100% accurate.

There isn't a blood test for an xl bully.
It's done simply on external measurements which have quite a small range. A dog that very much looks like an xl bully could be a cm out of measurements and classed as not xl

The law is similar for English dogs in that causing fear without any physical damage can be classed as a dangerous dog

And killing nine children a day is a perfectly acceptable butcher's bill for avoiding the effect removing or restricting cars would have on society.

/sarcasm

Oops quoted wrong person. Sorry!

The difficulty is most aren't registered

If in deed this dog recently changed hands, then it isn't registered (as you can't transfer ownership)

If the outcome of registering is to pts then who would register their dog?
A significant portion didn't register when death wasn't on the cards and there's been little action about that. Realistically you'd have decent owners considering complying, but dodgy owners (those who are more likely to be raising dangerous dogs) continuing as they are. If they are happy to have a cropped dog, or not comply with legislation as it is then they definitely won't If doing so means their dog will be put to sleep