What can you do if there is a pit bull terrier outside school?

[Flightattendant]

I'm at a loss here.
Last week a dog I strongly believe is a pit bull, or a similar cross, was being allowed to run loose in the garden behind our school. I saw it fouling and the owners did nothing - they appeared to be a homeless couple and just ignored it.
I got my son, came out of school the same way and the dog made to attack ds1...by this I mean I looked up (I was behind a few feet with ds2) and saw that ds1 was making scared noises, and the dog was squaring up to him - can't remember if it was growling or not but it was ready to attack judging by its posture. I screamed 'stand still' to ds and he stood still, the dog then ran towards me and threatened me. I shouted at its owners and the woman came over and took it in hand, apologising and saying 'it's not his fault, it's the way he's been brought up' by which I thought she was referring to my son and why he was scared, and I got quite cross, but she explained she meant the dog had been brought up like that and wasn't talking about my son.
She was fine to me but the man started coming nearer and blethering some drunken nonsense at me and she said to him 'she's alright, leave it' or somehting.
i was very red in the face by now and absolutely furious, as I'd been utterly panicking - I would have stayed and argued about having it on a lead, but ds1 was by now standing cowering by a wall and sobbing, so I had to go to him.

I rang the police and they said they are powerless unless it attacks someone. Great. A park full of small children every day after school, and I've since seen the same dog outside school almost every day at pick up, I mean it's a matter of time really.They said ring the council dog warden but the council said there isn't one any more, and it's a police matter, and they can't help. But are sending their bloke round tomorrow anyway
The police have been onto them as well now, which is good - but I don't see them doing anything and anyway the dog, which is currently at an address in the street known to police (plenty of homeless people hanging about there) but by tomorrow it won't be there.

I looked at pics online and it looks very much like this. I mean surely if it is an illegal dog someone ought to act?

I'm really going round in circles.

It was probably a Staffy. But either way, yes if there is an aggressive dog running loose near a school something should be done.

I'd be concerned at what she said about the way the dog had been brought up. Doesn't sound like it is getting looked after properly to me.

Could you ring the RSPCA rather than the dog warden? That way at least the dog would be properly assessed and not just taken away and destroyed.

It really is hard for most people, me included to identify pit bulls from other dogs but I would contact your local dog warden. Any dog that is frightening children needs to be stopped. Obviously with training this issue could be stopped very easily but it sounds from your description as if the owners may not be willing.

But do contact your dog warden they should be able to help you.

sorry x post shineyandnew

Thanks, I understand I might be wrong about the breed, it could be anything.

But the way she said it was brought up to be needlessly aggressive did concern me, as it's in no way controlled.

Thanks for the tip about RSPCA, I'll ring them. Sadly there is no dog warden it seems.

If it's a pit bull cross isn't that an illegal breed, or at least illegal to be out without a muzzle on? (sorry, bit hazy on the details)

'pit bull' is not really a specific breed so nigh impossible to identify

try this for example

Yes I wondered if it was just a type of dog that shouldn't be owned - or had out in public etc.
Have spoken to RSPCA and they said they can talk to the owners about keeping it on a lead - maybe someone will sort this out.

Mitchy is that that quiz? I know - they can look very different can't they, but whether it is a pit bull or not, it's an aggressive dog and the ownder said it had been brought up that way. So imo it shouldn't be uncoltrolled especially near a school. Do you have any ideas about what to do - I'm sure if I approached the owners they wouldn't be too amenable to doing what I said.
Also appreciate tips on what to teach ds in case it happens again.

Ah, well mitchy I'm afraid I just looked at that link and it took me 30 seconds to decide - right first time.

All your DS can do is to stand very still with his arms crossed across his chest. Tell him to turn sideways to the dog and not look at the dog.

If you are really worried you can buy pet corrector spray. It is basically canned air and if you press the aerosol it makes a noise most dogs will back off from. However it is not 100% effective and may cause a fearful dog to be worse. I do feel uncomfortable about suggesting this however from a thread and obviously it would need to be checked if suitable advice by someone who has seen the situation.

If and this is an awful thing to consider you do get bitten by a dog do not pull away but move into the dog. The dog is more likely to let go and will not tear at your flesh .

However I really feel there is something that must be done this is appalling to think you are going to be frightened to take your DC to school. Do contact the council. Where abouts are you I was wondering if I knew of a local behaviourist who could go by and have a look?

Thankyou Minimou and don't worry, I shan't go and buy anything to spray etc without carefully asking professional advice.

I'm glad you posted that advice about how to behave, because I had told ds he must wave his arms and try to look larger than he is iyswim, and walk slowly backwards, looking at the dog, and shout loudly. Oops

I also told him to look for a tree, if no tree a stick, if no stick to offer his arm as it'[s better than the dog getting his throat, and if desperate, to shove arm down dog's throat as this will kill it.

Not sure how right any of this is. We're in Kent but I wouldn't like to bother a behaviourist with a dangerous creature who has rather unpredictable owners and might not even be there on that day iyswim. But thankyou very much all the same.

I'd ne tempted to call the police again Flight. I believe they can act before a dog attacks; there only has to be 'reasonable apprehension' that it will do so. And if it's an illegal breed it doesn't matter anyway - they shouldn't have such a dog at all. And yes, get the school to report it too.

I'd be tempted to leave poisoned meat around right before you know it's going to be hanging round.

I'm so sick of thugs and chavs and their beasts having rights over law-abiding people just minding their own damn business.

There are far less Pits out there than the press will have you believe - it was probably a Staffs X.

But this isn't, or shouldn't, be about the breed. ANY breed can be a risk. What concerns me is that your local council doesn't have a dog warden as thats a legal requirement of councils, even if he/she is only part time or has another title or other duties as well. For example, a friend is a pest controller and former dog warden for a city council. When the normal DW is absent from work, M takes over, even though his main priority is still pest control.

The RSPCA are, imho, sh*t at most things, but they DO, in my personal experience, act bloody quickly on councils which aren't fullfilling their legal responsibilities. When I had problems with a council whose dog warden service were telling me that they had rights which I KNEW as a rescue worker they don't have I made one call to the RSPCA. I got a call back from one of their senior bods an then an RSPCA lawyer within half an hour and within another 30 minutes they'd contacted the council and read them the riot act, job done and I succeeded in seeing the law enforced properly (and I didn't need to mention my involvement in rescue).

I'd suggest that you contact RSPCAs HQ, ask for legal advice as your council has NO dog warden and let the RSPCA take up both this and the problem of the dog.

Hi - That sounds suspiciously like the local park behind our school...I would contact your Safer Neighbourhood Team and tell them what happened, as I have done in the past over a similar issue.
The big green space behind our school is often used by people exercising their dogs off-lead too and I agree its terrifying.
Vallhalla is probably right, its most likely a Staff, but having read today's paper, if, like the woman said, any dog is 'brought up' badly, it will be aggressive.
Google 'Safer Neighbourhood' for your local number.
Good luck.

Good idea Kitchen. I must add though that I see a lot of abused/badly brough up dogs and those who are aggressive as a result are in the small minority.

I also see a lot who, like one of my own dogs, have been abused and who have turned as a result, being rehabilitated with love, time, patience and TLC into wonderful companions. In another world I'd hot-foot it over to FA's area, take the dog and try to do just that with him.

Thanks so much for all the suggestions.

I will see if there is a safer community thing here and try that.
the rspca were very interested, Valhalla I didn't know there was a legal requirement for the council to have a dog warden, the bloke was pathetic on the phone, even though the police had just been in touch with him on my behalf, he said 'well we don't really have one any more' etc etc.

I did mention to the RSPCA that the council wouldn't get involved, so hopefully they will give them a talking to if they see fit.

Thanks again for your help and concern.
I'm sure the police want to act both on the dog front and the house front - I've seen them numerous times at the house where the people are hanging around, a very drunk person lives there, has loads of visitors, and is always creating a social nuisance, and now that loads of alcoholic homeless people are kipping there too it is just going to be hell for the neighbours...they make such a row even during the day, shouting and thumping on the door and just generally being aggressive.

I don't know if she rents the house, she's only been there a few months, but if so I expect they will chuck her out soon and then perhaps the dog problem will go away as well.

btw I don't really know what the gist is in the press about these dogs - I thought they were very rare indeed since the act was passed, but this certainly looks like one of them!