Boy 10 mauled to death at holiday park

[Witchofzog]

I can't link on this phone but it is on most news sites. The owner was found off site after a police hunt so possibly fled when she knew her dog had killed a child. It's just awful - a young boy probably just going to the loo in the middle of the night on a campsite having his life ended because of a dangerous dog and an owner who can't control and/ or keep it securely away

Some of these comments are bordering on lunacy

God bless that poor boy and give his family strength at this awful time.

Deadwife it should. I had a homecheck and required references before being considered as a potential puppy owner. And then I was basically interviewed. She’s also endorsed which prevents me breeding and registering pups without permission of her breeder.
But far too many people want a dog now. Regardless of whether they have the time and the space for it. They don’t want to be told no or they have to wait. So they shop online. And buy from puppy farmers.
Stop indiscriminate breeding. Stop puppy farmers. Make it compulsory for dogs to be licenced and registered and trained. Don’t ban certain breeds. It doesn’t work.

The reason the dangerous breed ban didn't work was they didn't ban enough breeds.

All status dogs should be banned, otherwise the people that want these types of dog just moved onto a new breed.

Without a very strict licence people should only be allowed medium and smaller breeds, and ban bull breeds. They attrack a type of owner that are irresponsible with them.

It's mad that anyone can buy a mastiff or husky or rottweiler and just let in loose near kids.

I don't believe a blanket ban is fair as dogs do a lot for mental health, they keep people active and are great companions for elderly.

So banning the supposedly most dangerous dogs didn’t help. So now we ban all large dogs? And define a status dog?

So banning the supposedly most dangerous dogs didn’t help.

It did help. It just didn’t help enough.

Bull breeds, huskys, akitas, rottweilers, doberman - basically anything people get to look hard or as guard dogs or for protection. Getting a status dog for protection is the same as carrying a knife.

Large breeds and status type breeds would not be banned completly but you would need reason and licence to have one.

The average person should not be able to buy a big powerful dog off the Internet and keep it with no idea how to control and look after it.

Stricter controls? So currently if you have a dog that goes out and attacks and gets put down then you can still go out the next day and buy another dog?

Steeper penalties for owners of dogs that are out of control and bite. Owners get banned from owning dogs in the future?

I fully appreciate the value of dogs as companion animals.

My objection is towards dogs that are large and powerful enough to attack and kill humans.

@Hearhere

I agree, no one needs a massive dog capable of killing a grown man. If its a pet then you should only be allowed smaller breeds.

If you feel you need a big dog then you need to apply for a licence, to gain the licence you need to prove that you need the dog and that you can look after it control in and be responsible.

If you look at the stats killing it didn’t help.
I am completely happy to have a licence. To need my vet to vouch for me. To have to do training. Totally and completely not a problem.
To see wolfhounds die out because some idiot left their child and a strange dog alone? To be unable to have the companionship of one of these gentle giants? Unfair and unjust.

If you feel you need a big dog then you need to apply for a licence, to gain the licence you need to prove that you need the dog and that you can look after it control in and be responsible

This sounds entirely sensible and reasonable to me

@Wolfie, I understand that you have a strong and important bond with your wolfhound, I understand that you feel a sense of affection for the breed.

To me this shows everybody's lack of knowledge on dog breeds. Small breed dogs can be lethal. Yes they might not be able to kill an adult, but they could easily kill a child.

Banning dog breeds will not help.

What dog breeds are you suggesting are safe????

Thanks @Hearhere. I adore her. The idea of never having another wolfhound would be heartbreaking. But I completely and totally accept that having such a big breed is a huge responsibility. It isn’t something I have done lightly. It’s hard work to do a decent job and have a well behaved dog. But worth it.

After Dunblane where 17 people were murdered, all handguns were banned and even the UK Olympic shooting team had to practice abroad.

Between 2000 and 2015, 52 people have been killed by dogs, 1000s more seriously injured and maimed for life.

Yet fxxk all is done about it, because dog owners vote and no party wants to upset these people, who (as a group) refuse point blank to have any form of restriction.
As far as the mentality goes, they are no different from the NRA in the USA, who will not allow Congress to introduce much needed gun control laws, no matter what the death toll.

We need compulsory training, a v hefty licence fee and muzzelling in public places..... there is nothing scarier than going out for a walk and have some bloody great dog growling at you as the owner says "oh he never usually does that"

This poor boy wont be last.

we all know the breeds that can do the most damage, some breeds already are banned
no one needs to have a large powerful predator as a pet

Small breed dogs can be lethal.

Would you rather be faced with an out of control aggressive fully grown Staffie or an out of control aggressive fully grown chihuahua?

My enormous hound has been beaten up by several chihuahuas.
I wouldn’t want to see dogs muzzled in public. Not unless there was a specific reason. It can actually aggravate some problems and some dogs find it really distressing. For most dogs it’s completely unnecessary.

As far as the mentality goes, they are no different from the NRA in the USA, who will not allow Congress to introduce much needed gun control laws, no matter what the death toll
I dont disagree with you, however, I can see why dog owners would be offended at the comparison to the NRA.

Given that this is such an emotive issue, what is the way forward, is it possible to find consensus/common ground?

When I was in school, a girl who was 14 at the time, was hugging her chihuahua for a photograph by her father. The dog suddenly turned and ripped her face apart. She had to have extensive reconstruction operations.

I am an avid dog lover and love most dog breeds.
In our family home growing up, we had big dogs and small dogs. I'm not intimidated at all by big dogs.

But in regards to my children, I don't allow them in the same room as any dog no matter what size it is alone.

I think suggesting a comprehensive licensing and register of dogs is a good idea. Maybe different conditions depending on the size or number of dogs you have? I do think some kind of education is essential. The number of people who don’t know about seasons in bitches or signs their dogs are scared is ridiculous. I think what dog owners object to is the nasty emotive language used about a thing they consider a part of the family. And the potential threat that it could be taken away and killed for no good reason.
But who would put such a scheme in place and control it? Government aren’t interested. RSPCA and KC aren’t interested. There’s no money to be made in it and the really dodgy owners will just refuse to comply.
Waffling now. My fear is nothing happens. Then eventually it’ll be ban all the dogs because of something even more horrific than this awful death.

little miss find a case where a shitzu has killed a child then, or a beagle, or a spaniel....

I think suggesting a comprehensive licensing and register of dogs is a good idea. Maybe different conditions depending on the size or number of dogs you have? I do think some kind of education is essential
This sounds totally reasonable, as you say though, who will implement such a scheme?
As I said I understand that having a companion animal is an important and valuable part of human life, but some aspects of dog ownership are incompatible with modern urban life, if you feel that you need a large dog for your emotional well being and yet you dont have the time resources etc then what do you do?
I get the impression that many feel that dog ownership is an automatic right, and the more the better

little miss find a case where a shitzu has killed a child then, or a beagle, or a spaniel....”

My dp’s scars came from a West Highland. He could very well have been killed.

Small dogs can be vicious. But if a bichion goes for me, my kids or my dog - I can easily overpower it and stop it. The same can't be said about a staffies or mastiff. My familys safety is in the hands of the owner.