OK, I need advice from knowledgeable people as I'm not sure how to deal with this...

[QuietTiger]

Long story short, a local man in our village has a large, agressive dog he cannot properly control. It is agressive, badly mannered and when he walks it, he can barely hold it on the lead. I've had problems with it breaking into our garden and chasing my cats, but so far touch wood it's not hurt any of them. It has killed one of my chickens, however. This has happened whilst the owner has been walking it off lead, along our country lane - it's broken into our garden.

Our gamekeeper is a guide dog puppy walker. About 2 weeks ago, the dog in question attacked his current guide dog puppy, and savaged her so badly in the neck, she needed emergency surgery to stop arterial bleeding - any deeper and the dog would have killed her outright. Guide dogs have been fabulous, they've dealt with it all. Our game-keeper has now threatened to shoot the dog next time he sees it and has gone head to head with the owner.

This morning, the dog was loose again. It broke into my garden and it's only because my cat can move like greased lightening is yound and fit, that he managed to get in through the cat flap before this bloody thing caught him.

I am not melodramatic around dogs, I've rehabbed a number of rescues, hell, I WORK with a rescue, so work with difficult dogs regularly. I am at a loss as to what to do now. I want to kill the fucking thing. The owner is a complete waste of space - every time anyone tries to discuss issues regarding his dog, he becomes agressive.

I need ideas, as I am at a loss. Quite frankly, I consider the dog dangerous and I have no idea how to now deal with this. Any suggestions?

Why haven't you reported it toi the council???

I think to an extent it depends on how far you want to take it. IIRC, you are in a rural environment and this guy will be your neighbour for a while yet - if whateveryou do causes an irrevocable rift, are you prepared for that? I htink you are but just wanted to check.

There's a number of options. What if any response have you had/will you have from your local DW? I'd also discuss with Cllr and again, I recollect you live on a farm, have you discussed with NFU? Do they have advice, support? The fact that the dog has killed livestock means you may have recourse to firearms, if the dog breaks in again to your premises?

Personally, I'd speak to Trevor Cooper at DogLaw who is a recognised expert in laws governing dangerous/out of control dogs and can advise on the best route from here.

Feck it must be bad to have you that upset and angry. :(

My advice would be to speak to the local dog warden and ask them to visit and read the owner the riot act, adding in a Dog Control Order for good measure.

The only problem with this is that not all councils have DWs. Some provide just the bare minimum that the law demands and now just have stray catchers (normally staff such as pest control officers who pick up strays as and when) and not all councils have adopted the Dog Control Orders. (My suggestion to those whose councils haven't and/or those who have dispensed with a proper DW is that you make a big fuss to your MP, Council, Councillors and local press because YOU might need that service one day, just as QuietTiger does).

If there's no DW service then really your only option is a complaint to the Police. To be fair the dog is a danger to livestock and to other dogs and to cats but there's no evidence to suggest he's one to man. However the Dangerous Dogs Act, rightly or wrongly, doesn't need you to be hurt it merely needs you to have "grounds for reasonable apprehension" that you might be injured by him. So, you may complain on those grounds - I don't need to spell out the possible consequences to you, it's a bloody hard thing to do but I see that you need to do SOMETHING.

It's probably in your interest to get the gamekeeper onside and for you to make a joint complaint. Given his "profession" I'm surprised that he doesn't know his options and hasn't raised a compaint already tbh.

i hope that you get it sorted and the OWNER is the one who takes the punishment, not th poor dog, and that baby Guide Dog is recovering now, poor mite.

If all else fails maybe the gamekeeper/someone could use his guns to shoot something other than wildlife...

Certainly I'd feel no shame about applying a little "pressure" upon this twunt and ensuring that he keeps his dog under control that way, if that's what it takes. Might be worth dropping that into your conversation with the gamekeeper too.

Thanks folks.

Scuttle - you are spot on with area, IIRC you said that the Vale DW was a sensible sort? I was a bit leary of contacting the DW/Council due to the implications of the DDA - the dog in question is an EBT...

I believe that Guide Dogs and our game-keeper have made a formal complaint to the council and police and our game-keeper has virtually promised to shoot the dog next time he sees it, especially if he sees it anywhere near our livestock.

Unfortunately/fortunately, DH wasn't in the house at the time the dog came into the garden, or I wouldn't be having this dilema as we'd be dealing with a dead dog, so effectively, problem solved. DH is murderous over the thing, because it threatened my cats/killed a my pet chicken and is of like mind with the game-keeper regarding shooting it.

DBF - Baby guide dog is on the mend. She is 9 months old, a truly gorgeous golden lab x golden retriever with a wonderful smiley face and I want to kidnap her and will do a blind person proud. if I haven't stolen her first

I'll start with the DW. Thanks folks.

QT - I can highly recommend one of the Vale's DWs. She is very experienced, competent, knowledgeable and does a huge amount of voluntary rescue work (that she keeps very quiet about) in her spare time. If you would like an introduction, please PM me. She also teaches KC Canine Good Citizen Classes - I'm doing Gold with her at the moment.

Isn't that the saddest thing? We WANT to protect our pets, ourselves and our families, we WANT to go by the law, we WANT dogs to be in good hands and properly controlled, we WANT to ensure that twunt owners are prevented from being so and appropriately punished... but like you QT, mindful of the DDA, we don't want to be responsible for the death of the errant dog because of the owner's failings.

I'd be experiencing the same dilemma for the same reasons but in your case the gamekeeper has acted already and any action that is likely to be taken will happen anyway. The owners a bloody fool, especially in rural territory. :(

Sadly, the point is now moot. :( Dog in question escaped again last night and started worrying sheep on a local farm at the other end of the village. He lost his life as a result, because the farmers in question didn't mess about - sheep are too valuable. :(

It makes me fucking angry, TBH. EBT's are wonderful, wonderful dogs if, like any dog, they are socialised and trained properly. This was so needless - all because the owner is a complete Twunt with a small penis, needing a status symbol.

What makes it worse, is that he doesn't even live in the village. He rents sheds from a local farmer to store equipment. Apparently, according to the twunt it was a "guard dog" who lived in his shed with the equipment. We have "guard dogs". They would lick you to death if they could be bothered to get off their beds only bark at you, not escape and kill everything in sight.

I am actually disgusted, because I don't blame the dog. I blame the twunt of the owner.

Oh Jeez, I'm so, so sorry for that poor dog. :(

Twunt isn't the word. What a cunt. He kept a dog locked up in a shed and neglected his welfare until the dog was killed.

I was toying with the idea of ducking out of a planned 10 mile sponsored dog-walk in aid of rescue today. It's pissing down, cold and miserable, I've had only 4 hours sleep and feel like hell, I haven't even arranged any sponsorship yet and DD is still in bed and I know it's going to be a real struggle and an argument I don't need to get her up and out.

I'm bloody well going now! I can't save THAT poor dog's life but I reckon I owe it to those he's left behind to do something.

In tears here for the dog who never stood a chance, with my GSD1 sitting almost on my lap, as he always does when I'm upset.

Run free, poor little English Bull. :(

I hope the young guide dog isn't so traumatised she won't be able to continue with her training

Just seen this. Awful.