To be upset that the police didn’t do anything? Dangerous dog

[Koulibiak]

I can’t sleep and can’t stop thinking about what happened and what could have happened.

I had just stepped out to walk my dogs (both small, placid dogs - one is a toy breed and the other a beagle mix) this afternoon. We crossed path with a woman pushing a bike with a front trolley thing. I assumed the trolley was for a child (the type you see in Amsterdam), I didn’t have time to see that there was something inside. Suddenly a dog jumped out of the trolley and attacked my dogs, one after the other. The dog was a female Labrador, she went straight for my dogs’ necks and on top of their backs. My dogs yelped in pain, started going in different directions and tripped me.

It all happened so fast, as I fell on the pavement I thought the Labrador was going to kill us all.

Eventually the woman got her dog back, I asked her to stay while I called the police. I got my dogs back inside the house, checked that neither of them was bleeding, they are both fine.

The police arrived, the woman turned on the water works and started sobbing. I said the dog was dangerously out of control, and at the very least the woman should receive a FPN for not having her dog on a lead.

The police were so dismissive - they said they wouldn’t issue a FPN because the woman had not realised the dog wasn’t tethered in the trolley, so she had no intention of breaking the law. I pointed out that intent is not part of the offence, but they said the poor woman had a flat tire on her bike, she was very distraught, she was going to have to walk 25 minutes home (like it’s a massive ordeal?) and they “didn’t want to make her day even worse with a FPN”. They said the dog is not an XL bully or Rottweiler, so it is not a dangerous dog (obviously that’s not true).

There were so many little aggressions in the way the constables spoke to me, I actually reminded them that I was the victim and she was the perpetrator. Like they implied that my dog was also out of control (absolutely untrue), or that they have discretion and can do whatever they want. Also that they now have my details on file, like I was a suspect.

Honestly it’s made me feel so sad for all the women who try and report assaults, the mix of dismissiveness and superiority and “we don’t owe you an explanation” and “I can see there’s nothing we can say that will placate you”. Just because I was asking them to enforce the law and protect the public. It was also obvious they didn’t understand the DDA at all.

I did ask the woman why her dog wasn’t muzzled and whether she was prepared to live with her conscience if her dog killed a child or another dog. She replied “absolutely”.

I just keep reliving the few seconds when the dog leapt out at my dogs and I fell on the pavement, not knowing where the dog was or how to protect myself or my dogs… it’s like a nightmare on repeat. 🙁

Not necessarily because the dog was attacking another dog not a child.

Totally different.

And this is why I’ll never have another dog. Too many fucking morons around

hope you’re ok OP and your dogs too ❤️

Shit load of dog owners on here that I wouldn’t want to pass on a walk with my dog.

Oh I couldn't put it better!

Honestly I would get some legal advice, and potentially sue that woman. You’ve reported it to the police so you can get a reference number.

If her pet is insured she will have cover for her dog attacking others. If not maybe the fright of losing her assets like her house might get her to be a responsible dog owner.

by chance do you have any cameras outside your house or any neighbours with cameras that may have caught something?

Sue her for what, exactly?

it might make the labrador owner stop being a twit and make sure he is tethered in the bike.

But they can't go round fining people based on hearsay.

Some responses on here are ridiculous. So self righteous and zero empathy.

OP was doing everything correct. Dogs were on a lead and she was in complete control of them. Even if they were reactive, she has a right to walk them. The lab was unrestrained and out of control.

Peoole saying she panicked and that’s why she tripped?? I’d bloody panic if a dog jumped at me and my dogs.

OP, I hope you and your dogs are well this morning and you can find the confidence to put it behind you. I’m sorry the police were so dismissive.

No idea why the dog was in a pram ( weird). Yes some labs can be agressive even though people think they cant, and the vast vast majority aren't- was it a Golden? Choccie labs are almost never agressive but live 2 years less on average so aren't as popular. The most agressive thing my choc lab does is sit on peoples feet. Such a shame they have a shorter lifespan as they have perfect natures. An agressive golden lab lives around the corner from us ( and it barks half the night). I sometimes feel like letting my Dutch Shepherd go at it, if we happen to both be out walking, as it would be sorted very quick. Owner can barely hold him and he runs at every dog that passes by . Of course I wouldn't let my Shepherd touch him but it would work. That's how dogs taught themselves manners when they were living in the wild, not being pushed in a pram around the city. The one you met has probably gone bonkers from lack of exercise,
I would just move on though OP. You are fine, your dogs are fine. All is well.

Lose her house 🤣🤣🤣

As an owner of a small yappy dog, a yorkie and chihuahua cross I always keep him on a lead. It’s a retractable lead. but you’d be surprised at all the other owners who don’t.
Most of them will put theirs on a lead when they see us coming but yesterday the owner of a chocolate lab did not.
we had to pick Buddy up not because we were afraid of it attacking Buddy but because we knew that he would have had a go.
it’s not always about your dog being friendly and wouldn’t harm a fly but mine would.
He’s good with people now but not other dogs.
we’ve tried distracting him with treats and taking him off the path if there’s space and picking him up to face the other way while the other dogs pass.
I don’t know what else to do but he’s 13 this year so I’m not holding out much hope that he’ll change, even though we still try.
some of us with small breeds do try and are aware of their actions around other dogs.
we are not all oblivious to their actions and the behaviour of our “little fur babies!”

😂😂😂😂😂😂 this place is hilarious!

Ahh you poor thing. It’s the most awful situation when your placid and calm dog is attacked by another. It plays back on your mind forever and the fact the police sound so unsupportive makes it worse. Hopefully this owner has learned that she can never risk this happening again. I do hope your dear dogs are ok and you can put this behind you.

I can't believe you're seriously comparing this small incident where no one got hurt to sexual assault or domestic abuse!

Just to add that many people got puppies in lockdown and were unprepared for the amount of time they needed to dedicate to training and raising them properly.

I was bitten by a cockapoo dog who was off the lead. The police were going to say the dog had to be walked on a lead but the owners wanted to go to court and I didn’t want the expense as what I wanted was the dog noted on the system in case it attacked again.

I saw it a year later and the owners still had no control over it.

the other dog owner should have insurance for injury to you and your dog.

I’m thinking the same, I’m reading these and the flippant attitude towards her all because the dangerous aggressive dog wasn’t in the “dangerous breed” category!! There’s PLENTY of stories of labs attacking and killing children never mind other dogs because we wouldn’t even hear those stories in news articles. I cringe at the stupidity of people brushing dangerous dogs off just because they’re not the dogs we’re all supposed to fear. My brother had staffys and they were the sweetest most gentle loving dogs and never raised any concern when round children but no child was ever left unattended with them not even petting them, as adult was always right next to them, the same goes if it was any lab, I have a CKC and I won’t even allow her near other kids alone when they come into the house as she’s giddy and gets excited at seeing new people come into the house so I wouldn’t want her jumping up and scratching a child let alone anything else. I previously had a Siberian husky for 15 years and not one single time did he ever give indication he’d hurt anyone, even when he had his tumour at the end that got infected and he was in pain as I was cleaning it he never even attempted to snap at me, not once in 15 years did I ever 100% trust him not to do something as you just can’t ever predict something setting a dog off. Sleeping dogs has had nightmares and woke up instantly attacking and severely or fatally injuring their owners, as I said ANYTHING can trigger them unexpectedly at any time, no fault of their own but it’s best to always be on guard rather than regretting bad choices!!

I would take this further OP. What if the dog does go for an child? It's unthinkable. Go to the station and tell them how rubbish the police were!

I'll say it louder for people in the back: REACTIVITY TO DOGS DOES NOT PREDICT REACTIVITY TO HUMAMS.

And given that the smaller dogs walked away without a scratch, I would say the this dog has good bite inhibition, which makes it safer around kids.

I have a Labrador. She is 2 years old and can be totally mental sometimes. If she sees another dog and feels like it’s time to play, she’ll get really excited. When she does play with other dogs (she has a few friends locally) they will really go at it. At first I was worried about it until other more experienced owners explained that’s just how they play. It looked and sounded really aggressive but they explained if there was aggression, there would be blood and fur flying. Labradors are well capable of biting if they are attacking.

We keep her on lead if there is any chance of her getting near a smaller dog as I don’t fancy being in this situation. I expect the police weren’t classing it as a dangerous attack as there weren’t any injuries.

The OP has not been financially affected by the situation. There would be no point suing her.

Oh, the irony.

What's a humam?

Don't shout out words that don't exist 🤣