Saw dog attacking another dog - police interested?

[Earthandstars]

Today we witnessed an English Bull Terrier attacking a small toy-sized dog; it had it around the throat and tossing it about like a rag doll.

Owner nowhere to be seen until he finally appeared and struggled to get the dog under control and off the small dog, which took a few minutes.

It happened so fast and was frightening to see. I had my 6yo with me and was too frightened to help, which I’m annoyed with myself about.

I have done an online 101 report but do the police even care at all? We had just walked through the area where the dog attacked so I dread to think if the dog had attacked my child.

Where was the owner of the small dog?

IME police are rarely bothered about dog-on-dog attacks. They tend to be a civil matter rather than a police one.

It is illegal to have a dog out if control in a public space,so in theory,the police should be doing something about it. As to whether they will is a different matter. Does your local council have a dog warden? It might not be the first time that this particular dog has done this,so would be worth ringing them.

I had a very similar situation a couple of weeks ago. Driving and saw a man trying to pull another dog off of his, blood every top where, the attacking dog had its teeth in the other ones throat and was clearly trying to kill it.

I pulled over and jumped out but couldn't get close enough to help for fear of losing an arm. Called the police who sent someone out, in between the police arriving the man managed to drag his dog away and the owners of the attacking dog got it by the back legs and dragged it snarling and snapping across the road and into the house.

I thought for sure the dog would be taken off of them as they have small kids in the house but have seen them with the dog since. I'm terrified I'll read in the papers about a small child near me being ripped apart but beyond calling the police which I did, there is nothing more I can do 😢

@icedcoffees the small dog owner was standing next to her dog when the attacking dog appeared from nowhere. She tried desperately to pick her dog up but the attacking dog kept jumping up and dragging it by the throat out of her arms.

@TheFnozwhowasmirage I will find out if there is a dog warden, thanks for the tip. I have just spoken to someone I know who works for an animal charity and she said it sounds like the dog was dangerously out of control and the police should investigate.

@HalfShrunkMoreToGo that sounds horrific and why on earth aren’t the police investigating that dog living with children? It’s also why I hesitated to get physically involved as I had my 6yo with me and two other children and if I had then been attacked who would protect them etc?

Why o why aren’t the laws tighter on dog-on-dog attacks? Dogs who repeatedly do this could possibly move to attacking people.

I saw a man kicking shit out of his ddog nearly 2 years ago. He was abusive and threatening to me when I confronted him. I rang the non emergency number as I felt he would turn violent..
Still waiting to hear back.
I had taken photos of him, his dw and their 3 ddogs.

Posted them on local news trying to ID them. Nothing.
Twats.

The police aren't interested as dog on dog aggression is nothing to do with dog on human aggression.

It happened so fast and was frightening to see. I had my 6yo with me and was too frightened to help, which I’m annoyed with myself about
It’s unlikely you would have been able to help tbh.

There’s a big size and strength difference between a bull terrier and a toy and dogs’ reflexes are generally much quicker then a person’s.

Plus, intervening puts you at high risk of a bite yourself.

I have done an online 101 report but do the police even care at all?
No, they only care if the dog bites a person.

We had just walked through the area where the dog attacked so I dread to think if the dog had attacked my child
Dog on dog aggression is totally different to dog on human aggression.
A lot of dog aggressive dogs are fine with people and a lot of people aggressive dogs are fine with other dogs.
There is absolutely no evidence to suggest dogs who are aggressive to other dogs are also likely to be aggressive to people.

I once called the police as the neighbours dog and a visiting dog started fighting. It ended up outside the garden into the street. The police only came because there was blood everywhere and the parents were allowing their child to get involved in splitting them up.

However, the owner of the toy dog maybe able do something as their dog is classed as property. They have essentially had their property damaged. It also depends on wether the dog has been reported before.

I would speak to 101 and see if they would be interested.

@TheFnozwhowasmirage

It is illegal to have a dog out if control in a public space,so in theory,the police should be doing something about it. As to whether they will is a different matter. Does your local council have a dog warden? It might not be the first time that this particular dog has done this,so would be worth ringing them.

Unfortunately, a the law about dog being out of control in public only really relates to their behaviour towards people.

Dogs are property in law so when they hurt each other, it becomes a civil matter, not a criminal one.

Dogs who repeatedly do this could possibly move to attacking people
Very unlikely.
But intervening whilst they are actually fighting another dog could very easily lead to a bite (from either dog).

i think the only thing to do would be to give the owner of the small dog your details in case they needed any back up to say the dog was out of control.
You wouldnt have been able to stop the attack and it doesnt mean the dog is unsafe with people. A lot of very small toy breeds are not seen as any different to a rabbit or a squirrel by bigger dogs with a high prey drive.
I hope your poor child wasnt too traumatised