To expect someone not to let their three dogs jump all over me

[8oreighty]

and "playbite" my arms?!!! I was on a rural path...fair enough, but I think people should control their dogs...I got muddy footprints all over me. It is also kind of scary if you don't know the dogs. There were two women with 3 dogs, not even an apology. Even when I said angrily, "please can you get your dogs off me". That's just not on - is it?

And animals who have attacked children or adults in a small way tend to escalate the next time it happens. But it also tends to be the babies and toddlers of loving dog owners that are the ones actually savaged and killed.
It's not a risk I'd be prepared to take, but others make different choices.

poo, i think you need to read the first and second page of this thread, then come back and say it's not abusing animals.

'I think you'd find Miss Mummy that the law is quite clear on animals rights as it is on childrens, neither are to be kicked. '

Milly - yes obviously you can't just go randomly kicking children or animals, what Im saying is that if I felt that a dog was in any way a threat to me or my family I wouldn't think twice about defending myself/family by kicking/pushing away this dog and I would do more than just kick and push if need be. Im sure you would be the same would you not? However if I owned a dog and a child started pulling/poking at it, I would simply say 'Please dont do that as you might hurt him/her' - Now obviously you cant exactly say that to a dog so what the fuck else are you going to do. Just stand there?! No your not!

And nobody's talking about abusing animals. It was you who used those words. Please read the thread properly. We, well I, am talking about if I felt the dog was a threat.

As it is legal to use 'reasonable force' on a person to defend yourself, presumably that at least is unarguably allowed in the case of an attacking animal?

What constitutes 'reasonable force' depends on the severity of the attack and the nature of the attacker. Booting a yorkie across the park wouldn't be reasonable. Shoving a large aggressive dog with your foot might be the least worst you can do.

i was here at the start of the thread as far as im concerned the start of the thread was about abusing animals - kicking, lasers and flame throwers or whatever crap people came out with, is cruelty to animals.

god help any animal that comes into contact with you, considering you dont know.

oh you only picked up on the flame thrower nothing else and you say i'm out of my mind. no that wasnt what i said you havent read post have you, i said you must do whatever it takes if the dog is attacking your child.

you'd kick it stone dead okaaaay.

if the dog was that aggressive i think it would kill you first.

re: "I have no problem whatsoever with kicking the shite out of any animal that is jumping on my child.

I would see that as an immediate and potentially lethal threat to my child.

end of. "

I'm no expert on this aspect of the law but I think it's safe to assume that "kicking the shite out of an animal" is an offence. It's also safe to assume that in some circumstances there will be a defence for doing that and you would not be found guilty of that offence. I'm reasonably sure that your perception that there exists a "potentially lethal threat" to your child would not be an adequate defence. your perception would also have to be reasonable. and it would be the court, not you, that would decide. so it's not "end of". because you ain;t the law.

no you said "kick the shite out of it*
"kill it stone dead"

you did not say kick the dog.

OP YANBU to wish to walk the countryside unfettered by dogs jumping up ,'playbiting' etc. I have a dog ,i love my dog ,BUT i appreciate that no-one else outside my family does . I trust my dog 99.9% not to bite anyone ,but to cover the 0.1% when i walk him off lead if i see or hear other people coming ,he goes back on the lead until they pass .I always explain that i have put him on the lead because i know alot of people arnt keen on strange dogs ,not because i think he will do them any harm ,some people choose to pet him ,others thank me and carry on . I call it commen courtesy. It takes 2 minutes and everyone continues on their walk happy .

? Animals Act 1971

Under this Act a dog may be shot, without warning, by a farmer for worrying his livestock and the owner could face criminal prosecution for the same offence under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953.

Such a pity this doesn't apply to worrying children.

'I'm no expert on this aspect of the law but I think it's safe to assume that "kicking the shite out of an animal" is an offence. It's also safe to assume that in some circumstances there will be a defence for doing that and you would not be found guilty of that offence. I'm reasonably sure that your perception that there exists a "potentially lethal threat" to your child would not be an adequate defence. your perception would also have to be reasonable. and it would be the court, not you, that would decide. so it's not "end of". because you ain;t the law.'

hatwoman - yeah cause your really going to not protect your kids from a threatening dog because the court might charge you. I would happily face any punishment the law wants to dish out if it means by family are safe.

But as KerryMumbles says your hardly likely to be brought up on charges from protecting your own kids.

I was walking across the city racecourse with my three month old DD strapped to my front. Dog came bounding over. Owners called it back before it got within 10 metres of us.
Fine; no problem whatsoever. Well done to them fir bing so responsible, they are exactly the kind of people with the nous to own a dig.
BUT if that dog had been allowed to continue towards us, and had jumped on my baby, I would've kicked it. I would've then quite happily had an encounter with the owners, and I would've defended my decision.
Dogs jump up at me all the time when I'm out jogging, and the response is always the same.
'he's only a puppy'
'he's just saying hello!'
'he won't bite.'
I don't want them jumping up at me. I don't kick out, I just move away. But if it were my child, my response would be different. If a dog bit my child, I would not rest until it was destroyed, because it could well attack again. I do not equate the life of a dumb animal with hte life of a child. I do not believe that some dogs would never bite. I do not think that a brief kick to a dog is a high price to pay to prevent a child from being terrified or knocked over.
Sorry, I just don't.

probly the dog would pick up on your aggression!
i dont have to belive anything, i dont chose too.

you will be charged if you kill a dog stone dead and kick the shite out of it, my brother is a police officer i will ask him see if it is correct.

The syntax and grammar of the above is shocking, and I apologise!
But it's something I feel strongly about, because I will always defend my right to protect my child.
And yes, Kerry, I think you're right to say you would kill a dog that was biting your child. So would I, because(as many others have said) the life of a dog is in no way comparable to the life of a child.

I do not think you would get into serious trouble for killing a dog that was biting your child.
Because the law also values people above animals.
If you could reasonably justify your actions, you would ahve nothing to fear.

well i hope you understand when i say i would kick the shite out of anyone who did anything to my dog!!!

'I do not equate the life of a dumb animal with hte life of a child. I do not believe that some dogs would never bite. I do not think that a brief kick to a dog is a high price to pay to prevent a child from being terrified or knocked over.'

Well said Elie - I feel the exact same

I would never go and visit my cousin with my DD, as she has a staffi (sp?). I know she would put it in the kitchen while we were there but it wouldn't make a difference to me, its just not worth the risk. Like you said you cant say some dogs wont bite - you just never know for sure what they are thinking.

i do not have anything to fear at all, my dog is not dangerous as i have said time and time again it's getting boring.