To think something needs to be done about all these dog attacks?

[BattIestar]

And if so, what? What is the solution? My kids witnessed an attack recently, it hasn't yet made the news, and it wasn't deadly nor did the victims require overnighting at hospital, but my children are now wary of walking to school, and being in the playpark. I hate that we are living in fear of dangerous dogs, and really think it is high time something proper was done about it.

https://www.warwickshireworld.com/community/several-dangerously-out-of-control-animals-seized-and-man-arrested-after-dog-and-walker-attacked-4996021?fbclid=IwY2xjawIrCq1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHa1YUA3bHzoq_pxI7TwdO4w9hshfrow9PxUD0VpJG1LbgSkwc4JPRA0euw_aem_JMCCUtSRtxMqwxBAThDhBQ

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/herne-bay/news/teen-injured-in-dog-attack-in-residential-street-320351/?fbclid=IwY2xjawIrC0tleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHTWY4zAPIYc8FEZfB9beTtbmrCASCSz_xUnQVseSIC2sDP3eKSeXP06AAg_aem_BA0Cw6SxxhlAErwSGsGZBA

https://yourherefordshire.co.uk/all/news/breaking-police-would-like-to-speak-to-a-man-following-a-dog-attack-in-herefordshire/?fbclid=IwY2xjawIrC1pleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHXq3Pnj9d5fXTDfAXCDes_X_9Hk7-CnsblXBfc4lQXCcvvLqwLGgAh4QzA_aem_N61Z-O4i2e6VG67vPLaQkA

https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/news/24960445.armed-police-bardsley-avenue-bewsey-xl-bully-dog-attack/?fbclid=IwY2xjawIrC2hleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHRHREId8LTMtQgHjS8JVw9q7gVYWWakhqlKayXA5e-fuBkMMicfFfjsvVg_aem_HYpvfZuhY_Iq_EMgSlGrIQ

The above are all very recent incidents, which I found when I was looking to see if the one my kids and I saw had made the news. I bet there are many more thst don't get reported too. And then we have the crazies spouting "it's the owner not the breed", or "something must have provoked it". In the incident we saw, the dog bolted out of its owner's front door and jumped up at a stranger walking along, knocking them over and mouthing their sleeve - I think the only reason it wasn't worse than it was is because the guy had a very thick coat on. If that had been my kids in their thin blazer uniform, I dread to think.

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/two-attacked-family-dog-after-31015876?fbclid=IwY2xjawIrDB1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHVBbWJkkOJJ_O5mEFgA-RfzzPiud9QsanPcMUQ2HkKpScEqfubC4X1eSbg_aem_WkZXswfnJpUMgERlgNERRg#amp-readmore-target

https://www.wigantoday.net/news/crime/wigan-dog-attack-police-issue-picture-of-pet-owner-4960583?fbclid=IwY2xjawIrDDNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHZ9q6tFB-TD2O-mqoHbZkh7kN_JpCyESva9LgrhtWlRto5ExCTUbHAxh3g_aem_gC6a5KoO1hOuXYBQ01w1jQ#w2e4b783th709kb31uiwoxny8q94akg

I think we need to get tougher on owners - any dog bites anyone, the owner goes to jail as if it were them who directly caused the injury.

I also think we need to actually properly ban the top dangerous breeds (we all know which they are).

These dogs are literally killing machines and what they could do to a grown adult, let alone a small child. It doesn't bear thinking about. The breeders need to be addressed imo

Yes, I agree, Seems to be so so much of it about.

The owner of the XL that killed a man, local to me, has been given a 3 year sentence.

Killed though! Wow. I think he should have gotten life. Three years is nothing.

I don't think it acts as a deterrent though, the owners never think it will be them. the tend to be overly confident in their dogs ability to 'know' who the bad guys are, and their own ability to control their dog.

Agree, a three year old boy was bitten close to us a few days ago poor kid https://news.stv.tv/west-central/three-year-old-boy-rushed-to-surgery-after-face-bitten-by-staffy-in-irvine

If a dog bites once it should be destroyed, and the owners should be barred for life from having any animals, but especially any other dog.
If they breach the ban then as we can't execute them they should be locked up forever. Or forced to live in Skegness.

I agree 3 years is nothing. He claimed it got out - witnesses insist he let it out on purpose, because he thought the victim had thrown something at his property. Another XL was seized from the property, and a litter of pups.

During the incident in Warrington on Monday when the 84 year old man was attacked, police had to shoot 19 times at 2 XL bullies before they killed them.

It’s important to remember ANY dog can bite and some of the smaller breeds are more prone than the larger breeds.
resolving this issue would need the Government to invest money - ALL dogs should be licensed. Police/Wardens should do random checks on dogs in public areas and unlicensed dogs should be PTS. Part of the licensing should be to attend training lessons. I have an staffie, she is well trained to sit/get down/come to her name etc.. and we put her on a lead if anyone looks nervous or it’s a cyclist. I trust her completely but I would never leave her with my grandson alone, you don’t get a second chance if something happens.
Any dangerous dog breeds should be put to sleep.

That’s a bit harsh - no one should be forced to live in Skegness.

Fair point MellowTiger.

I think as a society we need a massive rethink on where dogs stand in the culture. At the moment, a lot of people consider them as important as children, or other humans. I think people think "my dog needs to run/be off lead/be free" or see it as a status symbol and not a weapon that needs to be trained, controlled and something that is actually a serious responsibility, as serious as driving a car (and look at how the standard of driving has fallen...).

It's all about individualism - I want this dog. Rather than, am I the right person to own such a powerful dog, am I prepared to do the necessary to keep everyone around me safe from the dog, and keep the dog from being a risk?

No one gives a shit. And so this will continue, sadly, if not get a lot worse.

I agree. Dogs that bite once should be put down. There is a dog in a neighbouring village that has bitten several people and has been reported but the authorities don't know who the dog belongs to. There should be some kind of dog licensing and tracking system that makes it easier to identify dogs and ensures only screened owners can own one. It should be illegal to breed dogs unless you're a licensed breeder. All dogs should be spayed / neutered by a certain age unless you're a licensed breeder.

And all cane corsos and XL bullies should be put down. There are plenty of other breeds.

We will look back in years to come and be horrified what we exposed children to.

This is true. Still, at least they'd be locked up and unable to inflict these dogs on the rest of us.

I saw that! If it takes 19 bullets to stop them, what hope have we, as unarmed people got?

My small niece was nearly attacked in a local park. It’s terrifying and made worst but the sheer number of dogs around now. YANBU.

Small breeds can't kill you.

Yes, I agree about future generations being horrified that this has been allowed to continue.

I genuinely fear for our lives now. There are three dodgy-looking dogs on our block, any of them could do serious damage to us if they wanted. We live on the road of a school, so there are a thousand+ kids walking to school, and invariably one of these dogs is having its morning walk at the same time. I think it is an incident waiting to happen.

Proper system of expensive dog licences. Like £250 per dog per year. Funds used to employ however many thousand dog wardens. Your dog is found to be out of control or bites someone, it gets put down immediately, no questions asked. Tougher licensing for breeders. Unlicensed dogs seized and destroyed - no questions asked.

You can't afford another £250 a year to have your dog? Tough.

There's a woman that walks one around here, including in the children's park. She cannot control it at all. It literally drags her along. If you want to pass, she tells you to leave the path as she can't make it move. If it decided to make a run for it, we'd have no chance.

I agree - but actually make it higher than that - maybe £1000 a year. Or £100 a month. It needs to fund serious dedication to dealing with the problem.

I also think we need to do away with kennelling the offending dogs that have bitten, because they are being housed on our tax pounds. I read a figure the other day that was eye-watering about how much it costs to house the dogs that have bitten whilst undergoing whatever tests they are doing, rather than just putting them down. Galling, when our NHS is crumbling and old people are shivering.

We have a woman like that here too - and she walks it (some sort of rottweiler type dog) in her flip flips/sliders, and has zero chance of holding it off should it decide to attack.

Set it as high as needed @BattIestar . £1000 a year, obvious exemptions for guide dogs, police dogs etc but not for your "emotional support dog" wearing its vest you bought on Ebay.

Small breeds can kill small humans though. https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2023/01/19/misadventure-verdict-at-inquest-into-death-of-baby-attacked-by-jealous-dog/