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AIBU?

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Original poster

Great Dane now on the attack - please can we do something? *Distressing content warning*

341 replies

Stryke · 27/04/2023 10:17

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/boy-7-suffers-horror-injuries-29801234#amp-readmore-target

Boy, 7, suffers horror injuries after dog bites him in face and head at pet shop
WARNING - DISTRESSING CONTENT: Little Mitchell Neville was allegedly attacked by the shop owner's Great Dane after going to buy dog food in Belfast, Northern Ireland

YANBU - enough is enough, change the law

YABU - but chihuahuas are more aggressive

Boy, 7, suffers horror injuries after dog bites him in face and head at pet shop

WARNING - DISTRESSING CONTENT: Little Mitchell Neville was allegedly attacked by the shop owner's Great Dane after going to buy dog food in Belfast, Northern Ireland

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/boy-7-suffers-horror-injuries-29801234#amp-readmore-target

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
Thesharkradar · 02/05/2023 13:03

another dog attack
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-65441162

HiggleDyPigGeldy · 06/05/2023 10:59

and this is why there should be heavy taxes and penalties for people who insist on continuing to keep dogs as pets.

I like dogs, I just hate the the trend of dogs being pets so their owners can let them fill our streets with poo, terrorise any people who are not comfortable with dogs running around off lead, and ultimately, inflict injuries on humans and other animals on a nearly daily basis now.

dogs should not be useless city pets - the externalities that inflicts on the general population of cities are becoming intolerable

XenoBitch · 07/05/2023 15:52

HiggleDyPigGeldy · 06/05/2023 10:59

and this is why there should be heavy taxes and penalties for people who insist on continuing to keep dogs as pets.

I like dogs, I just hate the the trend of dogs being pets so their owners can let them fill our streets with poo, terrorise any people who are not comfortable with dogs running around off lead, and ultimately, inflict injuries on humans and other animals on a nearly daily basis now.

dogs should not be useless city pets - the externalities that inflicts on the general population of cities are becoming intolerable

Having dogs as pets is not illegal, so why the penalties?

Thelnebriati · 08/05/2023 12:24

All responsible dog owners have liability insurance. IMO it should be mandatory for pet owners.

Missingmyusername · 10/05/2023 09:19

Thelnebriati · 08/05/2023 12:24

All responsible dog owners have liability insurance. IMO it should be mandatory for pet owners.

Is it included in regular pet insurance?

I think humans should have insurance for themselves and the damage they inflict on others and their surroundings.

Jitterybugs · 10/05/2023 09:36

I was reading an interesting AMA thread on here yesterday by the owner of an XL bully dog. She did her best to portray herself as a very responsible dog owner but when liability insurance was mentioned she admitted it was difficult to get insurance for that breed so they put money aside every month instead. I suspect she meant for vet bills as it wouldn’t be possible to put aside weekly the vast amount required for litigation purposes if their huge powerful dog attacked someone. The thread was deleted before I got to read it all.

takealettermsjones · 10/05/2023 09:39

Jitterybugs · 10/05/2023 09:36

I was reading an interesting AMA thread on here yesterday by the owner of an XL bully dog. She did her best to portray herself as a very responsible dog owner but when liability insurance was mentioned she admitted it was difficult to get insurance for that breed so they put money aside every month instead. I suspect she meant for vet bills as it wouldn’t be possible to put aside weekly the vast amount required for litigation purposes if their huge powerful dog attacked someone. The thread was deleted before I got to read it all.

She also kept it outside alone all day and then in a cage for hours on end for the rest of the time, and admitted that she couldn't physically control it once fully grown. But it was ok cos her DP would do 'most' of the walking and it wouldn't ever be alone with her two young children or two smaller dogs.

Timetochangetheoil · 10/05/2023 09:41

takealettermsjones · 10/05/2023 09:39

She also kept it outside alone all day and then in a cage for hours on end for the rest of the time, and admitted that she couldn't physically control it once fully grown. But it was ok cos her DP would do 'most' of the walking and it wouldn't ever be alone with her two young children or two smaller dogs.

Show quote history

God that’s so worrying!!

JustDanceAddict · 10/05/2023 10:05

My ds is a 6ft4 teen and he was set upon by some mega dog in our area a year ago or so. Luckily he didn’t bite, the owner managed to pull the dog off, but the dog did subsequently attack someone in the local park and was banned from it afterwards (he bit a woman’s arm who was trying to protect her own dog from him- was argy bargy about it on the local FB page).

DogInATent · 10/05/2023 10:21

Dog liability insurance.
No excuse for not having it, it's included with £25/year Dog's Trust membership. I'm not particularly keen on some of the Dog's Trust policies, but it's a very easy route for anyone to get liability insurance. And there are no breed exemptions (the four listed breeds must be legally registered to be covered).

Thesharkradar · 10/05/2023 11:58

Timetochangetheoil · 10/05/2023 09:41

God that’s so worrying!!

Show quote history

Yes and what is really going on there??😳
I'm starting to feel that these people are in awe of the dogs, feel they have to obey and almost worship them?
As if they unthinkingly subordinate themselves to the dog because to them it symbolises something and they respond unconsciously to the symbolism?
The behavior of people who keep these dogs is irrational, as if they are unable to see it for what it is.

KarmaStar · 10/05/2023 13:17

Cheapcookies · 27/04/2023 10:28

This line from the article:
"One minute she said he was patting the dog and the dog’s tail was wagging and the next, the dog had Mitchell’s head in its jaws."

She also mentions they looked away from the dog & child to look in a freezer.

I am not making excuses for what happened.

But there are about 14 different tail wags and only 2 of them mean a dog is genuinely happy, assuming the rest of the dog's body language is saying the same time. People need to stop focusing on the tail and look at other body language. Don't let your kid stroke dogs they don't know, or approach dogs they don't know, regardless of what the owner says (because 90% of people can't read their own dog).

I feel really terrible for the child that this happened.

It really shocks me how many dog owners are completely unable to read their own dogs. We were on holiday once and in a pub. The owner (of the pub) was telling everyone about his wonderful serbian rescues that were now pub dogs. Both appeared. The MOMENT they looked at my toddler DD (walking about) I told DH (next to her) to pick her up. Everything about their body language said "not happy" and they went straight in to very hard staring, which is just a few steps away from snapping/potentially biting. The second one did the same thing to my dog once he looked at him.
I told the landlord that his dogs were not suitable to roam free in a pub and we promptly left.

Not enough people have any idea how to read dogs. Equally, there needs to be changes to laws around dog control, and how easy it is to have & own dogs.

Absolutely spot on.

HaveYouSeenTheTime · 10/05/2023 13:47

Thesharkradar · 10/05/2023 13:22

How appalling.

At least there is video evidence. To stop the thickos saying, ‘never seen it in the 875 years I have owned a dog so it didn’t happen’.

Thesharkradar · 10/05/2023 13:55

I expect that the owner was just thrilled to see his dog enjoying itself and having fun, it didn't even occur to him that it was wrong to let the dog terrorize the deer.
That's what they're like... they prioritize the dog and the dogs enjoyment at the expense of everything else🤬🤬🤬

Tratjymp · 10/05/2023 14:03

There is the possibility of a "big stick" approach.

Penalties
You can get an unlimited fine or be sent to prison for up to 6 months (or both) if your dog is dangerously out of control. You may not be allowed to own a dog in the future and your dog may be destroyed.
If you let your dog injure someone you can be sent to prison for up to 5 years or fined (or both). If you deliberately use your dog to injure someone you could be charged with ‘malicious wounding’.
If you allow your dog to kill someone you can be sent to prison for up to 14 years or get an unlimited fine (or both).
If you allow your dog to injure an assistance dog (for example a guide dog) you can be sent to prison for up to 3 years or fined (or both).

www.gov.uk/control-dog-public

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