Bitten in unprovoked attack

[Letmegetthisrightasawoman]

I was walking down the road with my toddler in a pushchair and got bitten in an entirely unprovoked attack, by a collie type dog coming towards me. It's caused bruising but the skin isn't broken (it bit me through my trousers). I got the owner's details and have reported it to the police. What is likely to happen to the dog/ owners?

Presume they'll get a visit from the dog warden.
What was the owner's reaction?

Don't think they quite appreciated what had happened. Their first reaction was "You slowed down" (I did, because the dog tried to attack a passing car). It was the woman's husband's dog and this was the first time she walked it. Apparently it usually wears a muzzle, but that's irrelevant as it wasn't today... My husband came out straight away and saw them and they told him we were well within our rights to report to the police, so I think it had sunk in then.

What did the police say?

I don’t think the dog would be instantly put down as it’s not a banned breed type, unless it has a previous history of aggression towards humans with police involvement. Police response to the owner may vary too.

Their first reaction was "You slowed down"

That’s such a dumb argument. You did nothing wrong and were being cautious. In fact, if you did the opposite and had rammed past them at speed instead, you would have been more likely to trigger an aggressive dog

The police took my details and information about what happened. They made an appointment for an officer to call me back to discuss it. I have spoken to the GP as per police advice and am getting antibiotics and tetanus jabs.

The dog actually attacked me from behind, is that relevant?

@Mnhealth202020 true. It's also a dumb thing to say because surely your first reaction should be to apologise? 🤦🏼‍♀️

Owner should be forced to pay the NHS fees.

Well the police officer will tell you what happens - assuming they gave correct address and name.

Isn't there an offence 'being in charge of an out of control dog' or something? Perhaps the dog walker could be charged with that. If it wasn't on a leash and wasn't muzzled, it was out of control.

I don't think you have dog licences in the UK, but in Ireland you have to have a licence for a dog. You'd be fined for not having a licence if you didn't have one, but I'm not sure about other laws in Ireland.

If the dog is usually muzzled, I suspect it has bitten before. The last thing you want when you're out walking with a tot is to be savaged by a dog.
I was a legal secretary in Ireland years ago and there was one case I recall where a 4 yo child was bitten/mauled by a dog - child was awarded 22k approx in damages. Not sure who had to pay that to be honest.

this is an offence (Been there). Take photos of the bruising and clothing damage, make sure you get a crime reference. Chase it up with the police. With no broken skin you probably don't need treatment but worth a GP chat just to check. Any actual dog bites need a trip to minor (hah!) injuries for cleaning, tetanus jab and antibiotics.

the shitty reaction of the owner tells you all you need to know. She will do nothing because ickle poochy-woo can do no wrong. With luck it will attack her next, but it may also kill a child or injure someone else. Then she'll get her fine and her five years, or more if it kills. If you are the second offence then action may be taken which is why it is worth reporting. You could also speak to your insurers if you have legal cover.

there are penalties but they take some enforcing. A dog does not actually need to bite, only to make a person feel threatened. It doesn't matter what breed it is.

when I am president there will be none of this messing about, the animal will be put down within a day.

BTW if it is 'usually muzzled' sounds like she's had the warning letter from a previous attack, which she has of course ignored as they always do. Please do progress it with the police as this should get her a visit at least.

I think the woman walking the dog was a bit taken aback and quite shocked. I'll give her personally the benefit of the doubt, but that dog needs to be PTS in my opinion. I wasn't even looking at it (might have said "look, it's a woof woof" to my toddler but not even sure I did that). It also lunged at a passing car, which in itself suggests to me it's not safe to be out. It was on a lead, though clearly not controlled properly. I think the police are taking it quite seriously. Medical care has all been sorted.

“You slowed down”, alright then so it’s your fault? Nice bit of victim blaming!

You did the right thing, they’ll get a visit from the dog warden

Collies are up there with the worst of the biters in the dog world. Usually don't actually kill normally as they don't have that lock-jaw bite that bull breeds have. Bizarrely - your tiny chihuahua is the worst for biting I believe - will see if I can find a source for the stats I'm quoting!

If it has any previous history of aggression it will likely have to be put down. Its sad but it can't be trusted and if it is usually muzzled then it clearly is known to be aggressive and the owners can't be trusted to muzzle it reliably.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/dog-breed-most-likely-to-attack-bite-you-revealed-a7166296.html

www.doglistener.tv/2016/08/breed-most-likely-to-bite/

My cocker spaniel bit a toddler when I was abroad. He was immediately pts. Bit the little tot on the face and broke the skin. She had tried to hug him. He had previously been the most placid dog. Never would have thought it. I simply don't trust dogs anymore (or their owners).

Sorry, it's the labrador that's top for biting. They're guard dogs mainly, so ye, I can get why delivery drivers etc. get it!
I know that if you've an ambulance coming they ask you to lock dogs or animals away, so I'm sure a few of them must have been bitten in the past.
An unprovoked attack though is frightening. I remember once walking my miniature JR terrier on a lead in a park and some fuckwit with a white bulldog had his dog on a long leash. Of course the fuckwit's dog tried to kill my little dog. I'll never forget her squealing. Nothing compared to the squealing I did to the owner and his animal. I fucking wanted to fucking bite him. My DP was with me, but the owner was as brazen as fuck. It might have come to blows if DP hadn't calmed me down. It's fucking frightening.

@GimmeAy I'm sorry to hear you've been involved in dog attacks from both sides. I would never let my toddler hug a dog without asking the owner for permission, but even then I'd hover. This is the second time in a few weeks we've encountered dogs behaving badly, and it is making me very sceptical about all this "Oh they're great with people/ kids". I wonder if there are any owners who would readily fess up and just say "they're a right little shit, stay well clear"... (That said, there is a man round here who walks his dog and the first time we saw him he said to keep toddler away as the dog was only used to him and not to kids, which I really appreciated)

I was bitten when pregnant, on the hand The dog had run out from woods and I hit it with my car got out to check it was ok and it clamped it’s teeth on my hand still have scars had to go get it cleaned no jag though antibiotics I couldn’t take as ended allergic but the dog was scared and injured poor thing, the lady whose dog it Was apologised to me but he wasn’t under control and I was going slow as on school roads but wasn’t a very nice experience.

Op you did nothing wrong, if the dog is meant to be wearing a muzzle it’s for good reason and seems odd it wasn’t and police need to make sure others are safe, it could’ve been your child or someone else’s quite scary really hope you’re ok

@nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut I never used to understand this thing about a dog that bites, even just once, having to be put down. Now I do. It was really scary and so unprovoked. It was also pretty painful despite only just grazing the skin. I don't think it's sad, this dog is vicious and needs to be PTS before it does serious damage. And who on earth walks a dog that is sometimes muzzled without its owner and without a muzzle on?? And clearly without a clue on how to control it. I despair sometimes...

@GimmeAy

Collies are up there with the worst of the biters in the dog world. Usually don't actually kill normally as they don't have that lock-jaw bite that bull breeds have. Bizarrely - your tiny chihuahua is the worst for biting I believe - will see if I can find a source for the stats I'm quoting!

Rubbish. One highly selective unverified piece of research based on a small sample said that certain breeds were "up there" - that's hardly a credible source of anything. I certainly wouldn't make any excuses for any dog biting unless it, or it's owner, was attacked themselves, and any dog that is aggressive needs to be muzzled and trained. But they're is no reliable research to suggest that collies are more likely to bite - no trained dog should bite.

The figures in relation to the Chihuahua is taken from US hospital records of bite injuries, and is actually explained by the fact that idiots but Chihuahuas because they are cute, fashionable, and don't need training (of course they do need training because they are dogs, but many people who buy them think they don't because they're small).

My dog passed away in may, he was never allowed to approach people and I called him back he was used to kids and other dogs and quite happy, I know that but the people he might approach don’t and he was a big lad, albeit a giant teddy bear. But the amount of kids who used to run up and hug him or stroke him was ridiculous I’d tell them he might not like that and not to touch dogs they don’t know. Even when he did his guide dog training people would try to fuss him etc and got annoyed when I asked them not to, he wasn’t even a tiny cute pup.

@Kaykay066 that sounds horrible! In that case I can almost understand the dog biting, as it was hurt. 100% on the owner though, no dog should be allowed/ able to run into roads! Incidentally, I'm also pregnant. I will be getting ABs and a tetanus jab, the GP checked it was safe.