To feel if a dog bites a child they should leave the restaurant?

[Bookishworms]

*edit: sorry for typos! Dog not dig

Out for lunch yesterday with kids, a casual family restaurant where dogs are allowed in. We love dogs and were sat in the section with dogs. No dramas.

One terrier on the table behind had barked at the waiter so seemed a but highly strung but had settled down. My son got up to go to the loo and the dog was startled, (i guess by the sound of the chair scrape and movement) and jumped up and bit my son! He hadn’t trod on it or anything just startled.

Settled son, no skin broken, and the owners just seemed to want to pretend it hadn’t happened. I said ‘your dog just bit my child…?!’ They said was he bleeding and oh sorry dog must have been startled. Then went back to their lunch. I was a bit taken aback - I don’t have a dog at the moment but have in the past and if it had bit someone I would have taken the dog out of that situation right away.

Anyways we just went back to our lunch rather than make a fuss as son wasn’t badly injured but then my friend who has a smaller child was pointing out that a snap like that on say, a toddler, or exposed skin, would have been a huge problem and I should have reported it. I don’t want the dog put down or anything but surely there should be consequences for the owners? If their dog gets stressed in places like restaurants they maybe shouldn’t bring the dog?

Maybe I under-reacted.

Nope. Don’t listen to the people on this thread. It’s a serious offence and dependant on level of injury carried significantly penalties. The first step is always to call the police because it is a criminal offence.

This. My husband was “nipped” by a dog and it resulted in sepsis, just hours later.

I would have called the police and had the mutt put down.

Because without a bit of drama the shitty dog owners who failed the dog three times in half an hour (evaluating whether the place is good for their dog, getting the dog safely under control after the warning signs with the waiter, and letting it bite a child) wouldn't realise that they are doing something wrong.

Their stupidity is dangerous for both people around them and their dog.

Any dog who bites a child (or an adult for that matter) should be put down. I dont care if that's an unpopular opinion these days. Its not "absolutely nothing", it's a tragedy waiting to happen. People need to get a grip when it comes to treating their dogs like they are humans. They arent. Absolutely no need to bring your dog to a pub/restaurant if you know they can't behave themselves.

What's the difference?

The dog is like that because of the owners.

That wouldn't have happened (unless you managed to threaten the owner enough they felt they had to)..

Call police - police come out, see evidence of a Level 1 bite - speak to the dogs owner and warn them this can't happen again - owner agrees not to take dog to pub, to muzzle dog in public places - warning given, end of story.

If a previous complaint is recorded - then that warning may go further, a control order may be applied by the local authority, legally obliging them to not take their dog to certain places, to muzzle their dog in certain places, not have the dog off lead or on a lead over a certain length, etc.

If several previous complaints have been made - then they may be taken to court - if its clear that previous local authority applied orders have been ignored, then there may be more control orders and a fine - or, if it's clear the dog is a danger to life, ie, it's a large dog, the complaint is that it is not only biting people in close quarters but it is off lead frequently in public, out of control and biting people - then a destruction order is pretty much a certainty.

A small dog grazing a victim through jeans is not going to result in a destruction order.

I have given courts recommendations for control orders and destruction orders - they give DO's very rarely and certainly not for a first incident unless that incident involves a level 4 or above bite, and the circumstances are taken into consideration.

Of course you could seek a private prosecution, but if you were to do so for a graze, from a small dog, you would be wasting your money.

I would bet my house that this doesn’t go to court.

Of course you would. It’s the typical attitude by most that dog owners can get away with this. It’s only a matter of time before more awareness spread due to incidents like these becoming prevalent.

This is an aggravated offence and therefore not within the police’s remit for decision making.

so the dog nipped your son
they were wrong
they should have apologised
it is not your fault for under reacting

The police need to be involved. That won't be the first time that horrible dog belonging to that horrible family has bitten.

At the very least they could have tied the little shit up outside and paid for your lunch.

@RoseAlone

a child being bitten by a dog isn’t nothing. What planet are you on??!

I’m not condoning the system or the actions of the owners of the dog but my experience in this area tells me that currently the worst penalty for the circumstances detailed, if anything will be the VCO I referred to earlier.

Dogs are forced to be everywhere now by owners who are too unaware to realise that perhaps they don't need to be dragged around shopping centres or stick.under tables whilst people eat or noisy environments.

Sorry for digression but I've been thinking about some encounters with unpleasant dogs where the owner's reaction was to minimise, as some pps are doing here - or to use that age-old tactic, 'The best form of defense is attack'.

When I was a young teenager I used to go for walks along a woodland public footpath. Several times (5?) I encountered 2 women who looked very alike and who I later learned were twin sisters, each with a red setter. One of these dogs would be way ahead of them and would snarl and growl at you until they caught up. It would bit your leg, not actually breaking the flesh (but that was due to my denim jeans really) but gripping your leg and snarling more each time you tried to move. When these bloody women caught up they'd inevitably lay into me with comments like:

'"Oh don't be ridiculous - he hasn't drawn blood!
"He's only playing - he never bites!"
"Don't you know about dogs?"
"How old are you?" you're behaving like a child!"

And worst of all, when I was with a friend who wasn't in jeans, the dog bit her thigh and did draw blood. She was terrified and actually crying with pain and fear when these two (fur-coated) charmers arrive on the scene. They laughed at her for crying and accused us of being a pair of teenage lesbians. Off they went, laughing gaily.

I've since had dogs growl and jump, messing up my clothes and on one occasion, knocking me over into a muddy patch.

I like some dogs and I help to walk one for an elderly friend. But I utterly despise bad owners and anyone who underestimates the harm dogs can do, or even fails to grasp that NOT EVERYONE IS COMFORTABLE WITH DOGS. Leave your dog at home except when exercising it! If you can't do that for an hour or so, why can't you????

Should add that when I told my mum, she recognised these women from my description and knew that they most likely walked their dogs on this quiet path because they knew very well that they were too dangerous to take anywhere else. Apparently they had a local reputation. I really hated those horrible women.

Update - thanks everyone for comments. I have reported. The more I think the more I’m so cross that I allowed the fear of being judged or thought of as hysterical to stop me from thinking straight.

Of course the dog will do it again because the owners didn’t even tell it no or anything so how would it ever know that was wrong. They just made out it was our problem because son had startled him (by getting up from his chair).

How did you report?
online?

Someone going for a walk with their dog and stopping off for a pint - fine, normal

Going for a pub lunch when there's absolutely nothing for the dog to enjoy (except biting people) - weird, gross, antisocial. Trip hazard with plates or hot food

That person may only be stopping for a pint

but others will be eating

and i bet you address your pets as fur babies

Nah. You would’ve tried and failed.