Dog bites - who should report it?

[mears]

Is it the owner of the dog or the person who is bitten?

What do postmen do?

If you have a dog, how do you let the midwife know when visiting?

What would you do if your dog attacked the midwife?

eeek mears, has this happened to you??

No not me but someone I know

It is the bitee's responsibility to report.
I have a dog and I warned my midwife in advance as even though he is friendly I know many people are scared regardless.
It needs reporting to the police and they will advise.

If the person bitten is a student - is it still their own responsibility to report it or should it be the trained midwife?

Hope you haven't been bitten mears.

The person bitten can report it to the police or the dog warden at the local council. Owner might not report it especially if it could result in the dog being put down.

I got bitten a few months ago. The owner didn't know at the time and I couldn't get up to the house to tell him (pack of Jack Russells). Dh went up later to tell him and had to sound the horn on the car as the dogs were still loose and he couldn't get out!. Didn't report it officially but wish I had now as I still have the marks and alump 6 months on.

Don't have a dog myself.

Also what would happen if reported to the police?
Are circumstances considered ie people entering dog's territory or does the dog automatically get put down?

yes.. anyone bitten by a dog, regardless of status so to speak should report it if they want to. If it is an offence the police will advise on the course of action

I think there are guidelines with regard to where the dog is - on it's own property or loose. You need to Google Dangerous Dogs Act I think.

A friend of mine had 2 dogs. One day his doorbell went and the 2 little girls form next door were there - his dogs launched and bit them.
Turns out they had been taunting the dogs all summer, but that is by the by - the dogs were put down... I do think it depends on how far the victim wants to take it and how willing the owner is to an extent.
Are you under the impression it is your job to report the incident?

The police would invesigate but a dog would not automatically be put down. It really depends on the severity and also the lead up to the incident.
As an owner of 2 dogs I would always put them in the kitchen if someone came to my house and didn't like dogs etc....

And to be honest if one of my dogs bit someone without any reason at all I would not hesitate to have them removed from my house and probably put down. (I must add my dogs are friendly and don't bite )

The incident has been reported where i work. I have a dilemma in that I can see why the dog went for 2 unknown people on it's territory.
The owners are extremely apologetic. A sign has been put up that the dog is there. Advnace notice is given of visits.

However, what about people who visit unannounced? The sign should help that. Has the dog attacked anyone before? What do postmen do? What if a child was attacked? Not sure it is good enough to rely on a student to decide whether to report it or not.

this might be of use, from the Dogs Trust.

Basically, if your friend doesn't report this, the dog can bite again, perhaps with worse effects. If it was me, I would report it to the Police. If I knew the family well, as friends, I might not, particularly if I knew that their dog was usually under control and if it had just nipped me rather than actually bitten. But if this was a bite to a stranger, midwife or not, then I'd feel under an obligation to report the dog and owners to the Police.

I think if the people did nothing apart from be there that it is terrible that the dogs went for them territorial or not.

36. ?Dangerously out of control? is defined in section 10(3). A dog is regarded as dangerously out of control on any occasion when there are grounds for reasonable apprehension that it would injure any person, whether or not it actually does so. The same section provides an exemption for dogs being used by the police and the Crown.

I think that is the only section within the law that could be used here. It does not just apply to the breeds commonly referred to.

However, if the owners are now aware and apologetic, I would not go further personally (unless of course it was a pitbull, tosa or argentinian whatever). You have done your duty in reporting the incident at work IMO.

It's the owners I blame rather than the dog however it could have done so much more damage. Thanks for your responses.

The only thing you will get by reporting it at work is that the organisation spends months of work and money finding strategies to prevent midwives being attacked by pets at home visits.

A dog can bite and being reported to the police once, second time will be put down. No matter how appologetic the owners are the truth is they are not able to control their dog and a report might make them to take the subject seriously and prevent further incidents. I would report it if the bite/attack was bad. How is she?

She is acually fine but shocked. Bite was superficial.

Good to hear the bite is not that bad (I know a person whose own bulldog split her hand in two down the middle finger...). Hope the shock ease off soon.

I understand about dogs being territorial but... there are some "public" areas in each house that strangers can visit unattended say the front garden and the outside of the front door. I think there is no excuse for an owner to have a territorial if not dangerous dog in those areas that are expected to be public. Now, I have dogs and although they are the kind that would happily show a thief around the house and then walk away with him afterwards, they are well under control before I open the door.

I was bitten as a child - it was a neighbours dog that I know it jumped up and bit me on the face, completely unprovoked. My parents rang the police etc the owners were charged £25 each and no further action was taken. I don;t think the owners would have done anything tbh.