Does the Uk Have to to many dogs?

[Lavenderflower]

I was out earlier. I was about to put some rubbish in the public bin but there I noticed it was filled to the brim with dog poo bags. I have noticed now days there seems to be dogs mess every where. It seems there are more dogs about since covid. I am curious if this can pose health risk for public.

I wouldn't begrudge anyone emotional support, but why can't they get it from their fellow human beings?

Because a lot of humans are unreliable shits whereas dogs are loyal and wonderful 🐕🐕

I don't know. How many are there, and what would be the optimum number?

So loyal they kill their owners and kids. Such loyalty, till death do they part.

In last 10 years I have bought 2 dogs. They are much loved. I am a responsible owner- never off lead ( they are small to medium breeds), pick up poo always etc. I am absolutely convinced that people should have to pass a test in order to own a dog to ensure they are looked after, trained and treated properly.i was honestly clueless when I got my first dog!

Dogs and cats are loving creatures and it’s heartbreaking to see so many in shelters, or hear about how they are mistreated. If it was more difficult to own a dog, if supply was regularised to stop back yard breeders, only those interested in investing time with their pets would bother owning them.

( I’m not talking about the subject of dangerous dogs here. I also think people should attend a course on being a parent before they have children- I appreciate this would be difficult to enforce and would need a cultural shift or be incentivised - buts that’s another thread!)

Lots of humans kill their partners and /or kids….

Yup, people with no control or loyalty.....people who behave like animals.....a bit like a dog....that is an animal and kills.

I bet more humans are killed by other humans, than by dogs…

Only I suspect when a dog kills it’s because they have been failed by humans…

Because frankly, many humans get compassion fatigue after a while when dealing with depression in others.

Dogs don’t. Neither do cats. Not the ones I’ve been lucky enough to have, anyway.

There are more people than dogs.......obviously.

Doesn't take away from the fact that dogs loyalty should be questioned when they kill their owners or family members.

Not all dogs, granted, but I don't trust any of them.

And I've never met a dog that doesn't stink, so fewer dogs would be fewer dog stinks, fewer poopy bins, fewer selfish owners. Win win!!

That's not a dog problem, that's an entitled human problem.

I am curious if this can pose health risk for public.

😂I'd be more worried about knife crime posing a health risk to the public, or the drugs epidemic in the impoverished towns in the South coast, or all the other things successive Govts. have failed to tackle than a bit of cleaned up dog shit in a public bin tbh.

Agree, All I want is to go for a walk without a random dog(s) jumping all over me, being licked, sniffed or barked at. Pretty sure if I did that to the owner they would not appreciate it or see it as 'being friendly'.

Not having to dodge dog poo is just icing on the cake.

Absolutely too many and too many irresponsible owners. Can't go anywhere for a walk now without some dog running up and jumping at me. Really pisses me off and the owners don't give a monkeys.

😗

Yes, I think there are too many now. It’s the barking that annoys me the most. It’s harder to enjoy a peaceful walk in a park, or NT garden, or the countryside, or on a beach because there are so often dogs barking away. The same in pub gardens and outside tables at cafes, and with more and more pubs and cafes becoming “dog-friendly”, we’re starting to get it indoors too.

This. What I’m seeing is that the quality of dog owners has changed. Working people who are likely to be more responsible owners aren’t taking dogs on any more - we can’t afford them, we haven’t the time to spend with them, we won’t leave them on their own all day every day while we work, and private rentals aren’t guaranteed to allow you to keep them. Increasingly the only groups who can afford dogs are the rich, the baby boomers, and the underclasses who all have those appalling bull terrier-types as status symbols. I’m actually seeing a lot fewer dogs around- and mostly they are pedigrees now, not the Heinz 57 family mutts we used to have.

What I’m seeing an awful lot more of is cats and their bloody uncontrollable messes everywhere. Those we do have too many of, they are demonstrably impacting the ecosystem with overpopulation, the same as with humans.

Go to the Lake District...there are dogs . inconsiderate dog owners and dog shit everywhere

People act like they're entitled to have one. At the end of the day dogs are potential living weapons and people act like they're just cuddly toys. Sick of this 💩. You should have to earn and keep a license that you pay for.

Roughly 10.6 million dogs in the uk, think how many plastic bags full of poo going to landfill in a week that is - not to mention all the people who don't bother picking it up and leave it for others to step in. Around 11 million cats killing between 160 and 270 million wild animals, mostly birds. Cats are one of the biggest threats to wildlife in the UK.

Far too many dogs and too many cats.

I can see the number of dogs in the UK decreasing rapidly over the next decade.

Realistically the Covid dog generation will pass through in the next 5-7 years.

Cost of dog ownership is rising exponentially. The number of Landlords now indirectly turning down tennents with pets and the decreasing availability of rental properties makes renting and pet ownership increasingly more challenging. In addition, as benefits are decreased in line with government spending and pensions going a lot less further people will have less money to spend.

Future generations will be more focused on finances and housing and possibly less focused on pets. Starker choices will need to be made with less disposable income.

I find this thread interesting. I don't have a dog because I am scared of them but also because I work full time. My mother family is from a rural background - I been led to believe that happiest dogs are the working dogs. I am not against dogs a such. It just a case that I noticed that in London at least I am seeing more dogs and I seeing more dog fouling and poorly trained dogs. I think perhaps get dogs instead of having children or finding a partner.

I am also in the camp it cruel to leave your dog unattended during the day.

Just be grateful they actually used the bin. Where I live the wankers just throw the bags in the hedgerow or don’t bother cleaning it up at all.