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My dog was attacked today

31 replies

mrsfred · 13/03/2010 18:32

Totally unprovoked. He was playing nicely with another dog when a Staffie on a lead approached. Both dogs stopped to say hello and the Staff lunged forwards and bit my dog on the mouth and wouldn't let go.

Cue £90 vet bill and very sore dog with cuts to his jowls, gums and tongue.

The vet gave him antibiotics and pain-killers. His face is swollen and he is looking very sorry for himself.

OP posts:
notjustapuppymum · 13/03/2010 20:14

Sorry to hear that mrsfred - hope he and you are ok and that he makes a speedy recovery.

My dogs were charged at a while ago by a very aggressive alsatian who isn't normally off his lead but his owners obviously thought it would be ok this particular day.

He didn't get chance to do anything as I stepped in front of my dogs to protect them (rather me get hurt than them) but even that shook me up so can only imagine how you must feel.

Hope you don't run into him again :-( Were his owners apologetic?

Alouiseg · 13/03/2010 20:19

Oh no, so sad for you and your poor dog, happened to my pup a few weeks ago. Really hope he makes a full recovery.

tulpe · 13/03/2010 21:53

how awful for both of you Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

What was the reaction of the Staff's owners?

Vallhala · 13/03/2010 23:53

I do hope that your poor dog is ok. What a horrible experience.

Please consider reporting the incident to your local dog warden. At the very least they can make patrols in the area and they may well know of the owner or have had similar reports. I know that's of no immediate use but it may help you in the future and/or prevent it from happening to someone else and their dog.

Wishing you and Pooch well.

Val

mrsfred · 14/03/2010 08:59

Thanks everyone. He seems fine this morning - still a bit swollen, but not off his food!

It turned out that the lady with the dog was walking it for a friend. She apologised and gave me her mobile number, but it has been switched off since yesterday morning.

I am going to file a report with the local police because the vet said it was the third dog attack they had treated this week. The worst one was an Akita that was badly mauled by a Staffie and couldn't defend himself because he was muzzled. No idea if its the same dog, but i'd hate it happen to a anyone elses dog.

OP posts:
clutha · 14/03/2010 14:49

Hi MrsFred

Reporting to the police may well not result in action.

As the DDA only applies to dogs agressing to people, not other dogs.

Unless you can prove you felt you were under risk due to the atercation, even then, the police are stetched and arent likely to prioritise this issue.

their responsilities for dealing with stray dogs were removed under the Clean Neighbourhoods Act 2005.

The dog warden under you local counil environmental health dept is the one to contact.
You vet could be relating 3 different attacks by 3 different dogs, and they may not even all come under the some local council dog warden area.

Megletwantsittobesummer · 14/03/2010 14:52

yes to dog warden. And your local councillor might be an idea too.

clutha · 14/03/2010 14:58

the other issue i fogot to mention is its a tough case to argue as well, as its your word against theirs.

as their dog was on the lead and yours wasnt, (as understand your post?),they could argue under the DDA theirs was legally under control, according to the clauses of that act.

its a bit of a grey technical area.

i wasnt there, but its a possiblilty that the staffie on lead felt under threat by 2 dogs approaching, hence lashing out?
some dogs arent socialised properly or nervous.

what i tend to do if i see another dog on the lead approaching, or the owner suddenly puts their dog on the lead, i lead mine as well, just to cover myself and my dogs, just as a precaution.

mrsfred · 15/03/2010 10:26

I reported it to the Dog Warden this morning. They have taken the girls number and said they will contact her.

Clutha, I suppose it is possible that the dog felt threatened, although both dogs approached calmly, with tails wagging. It is a well known dog walking area and at 8am the majority of dogs would have been off lead.

I'm not looking for the owner to be prosecuted, but if her dog is unstable with other dogs he should be muzzled. My dog is over 40lbs and didn't retaliate. If it had been a smaller dog, it could have been very nasty.

OP posts:
cissycharlton · 15/03/2010 10:47

Surely the fact that the op's dog was badly injured and the other dog wasn't negates the 'your word against theirs' argument.

ShinyAndNew · 15/03/2010 10:58

If it the same dog that attacked the Akita, it is very, very lucky that the Akita was muzzled.

My Dad's was attacked by some sort of bull terrier x when he was younger, while I was walking him. I was terrified, having witnessed him defend me from a rotty when he was just months old, I was convinced he would kill this other dog. He didn't I told him to sit and he obayed me, luckily.

Stoopid owner thought it was funny, laughing with his child about how 'the big bad dog' was scared of his dog

I'm sorry about what happened and wish your dog a speedy recovery. It's so scary when one of your dogs gets attacked. Especially by something as powerfull as a SBT. If the Staff is no good with other dogs, it should be muzzled in public and not be allowed to approach other dogs.

mrsfred · 15/03/2010 11:23

The 'your word against theirs' argument woudn't stand anyway - I was with another dog walker when it happened. He witnessed the whole thing.

My dog is a large Ridgeback puppy who is very soft and the first one to run away if anyone so much as growls at him. In fact, he ran away from a chiuaua dressed in a pink furry coat last week, because it barked at him ... very embarrasing .

OP posts:
midori1999 · 15/03/2010 11:55

If the dog was known to be aggressive or defesive around other dogs, it should have been muzzled and probably not walked in an area where there are a lot of off lead dogs.

However, you should never, ever allow your own dog to approach an on lead dog, it is an absolute no no and very bad manners. Unfortunately in this case, the lesson was learned the hard way. I hope your dog recovers soon, but if this happened to me (and it wouldn't as I don't allow my dogs to approach on lead dogs) I would feel the need to apologise profusely to the other dog owner, regardless of which dog was injured.

mrsfred · 15/03/2010 12:37

I am aware of dog etiquette, thank you midori. However, the lady with the dog came toward us with a smile and allowed both dogs to approach without a word.

Had she pulled the dog to her side, stopped, or asked us to recall our dogs, I would have done so without hesitation.

OP posts:
clutha · 16/03/2010 15:19

Hi again.

It wouldnt matter if your dog's displayed friindly body languaqe if another dog is fear aggressive of dogs anyway

Midori's second paragrpah was what i meant.
However, if she approached your off lead dogs with her on lead dog, then that does change things.
Especially as she took it somewhere where dogs are mainly off-lead.
As its not her dog, i would guess she doesn't know him very well?

The your word against theirs bit was referring to the issue that, if they wanted to be awkward buggers, they could argue their dog was on lead and yours off-lead, hence their dogs 'technically' fitsd the legal defintion of 'under control'
Obviously, your friend acting as witness does help, but that would be complicated by the fact her dog did the same as you, so the same argument could go her way as well, making her partial.

However, no procescution under the Dangerous Dogs Act is likely, as that only covers dog on people aggression, unless, of course, you felt endagered intervening between the dogs.

But you ar right, no authorities are likely to take it that far anyway.
Good idea that you contacted the Dog Warden, they can monitor the situation and give advice if needs be.
You have made good judgement leaving it at that

Re the other incident over the akita (which we dont know was done by the same dog), I too was surprised an Akita came off worse!

mrsfred · 16/03/2010 18:19

I see what you mean. I would have thought that the dog would have given some sort of warning growl first if it were afraid? Anyway ...

The dog warden phoned me back. She is trying to contact the owner to attempt to reclaim the vet bill and has given all the details to the park rangers office so they can keep a look out for the dog.

Agree about the Akita. We have one living nearby and he's massive. Very soft and loves people - most un-Akita like!

OP posts:
thehillsarealive · 16/03/2010 19:55

mrsfred - this happened to my pup in January - luckily my dog only got a nip and I was fuming at the owner. she had 2, unmuzzled and I have since found out she does this often! To intimidate other people.

Under the DDA - any dog who causes you severe stress can be prosecuted. This dog caused your dog harm and in turn I am sure you were shocked at this? So yes the DDA can apply in this situation.

I was actually talking to my friend about this today - she is an ex dog trainer.

Hope your dog recovers soon.

clutha · 16/03/2010 20:54

Im a dog trainer myself, also part time dog warden. Section 3.3 of the DDA doesnt have anything to do with stress as such, but physical harm, or the risk of physical harm; "it injures any person or there are grounds for reasonable apprehension that it will do so" Therefore, the OP cant seek a DDA prosecution just because she was shocked. Hello again mrsfred, growling is one way of expressing unhappiness, there are many other warning signs that dogs show before this. Its the sort of thing you know if you are trained to know. Some dogs go into a freeze shut down mode before. My educated guess is this dog was very still and stiff the whole time, not showing much facial emotion, but may have had a beady eye? And your 2 dogs had tail wags that were quite choppy and rapid , and they approached the dog directly?

Just curious.

thehillsarealive · 16/03/2010 20:59

clutha - maybe it is down to how the DDA is interpreted?

Surely if this dog attacked the OPs dog and caused such damage then there are grounds for prosecution? The dog is clearly dangerous and was unmuzzled.

rainbowinthesky · 16/03/2010 21:02

clutha - can I ask something off thread? My dog isnt well at the moment - bad leg- and sometimes when approached by certain dogs he goes still but I can see the hair above his shoulders standing up if that makes sense??

clutha · 16/03/2010 21:06

PS: the incident might come under a DCO though

TheYearOfTheCat · 16/03/2010 21:07

clutha, what an interesting job! I know it is a bit off subject, but what can one do about barky neighbour's dogs? We have been tortured by our neighbour's dog for years - it basically thinks that our garden is its garden. Every time we go out it barks at us for ages. Owners are useless.

Would be grateful for any tips.

clutha · 16/03/2010 21:10

hello rainbow ask away.

rainbowinthesky · 16/03/2010 21:12

I did! He is kept on the lead when walking him and sometimes when approached by other dogs he goes still and I can see his hair between his shoulder blades ris up. Only noticable by me. Is this a sign of stress/warning etc?

clutha · 16/03/2010 21:13

yes it is