Man killed by dangerous dog.

This keeps happening. Irresponsible people owning dogs. I don't know what the answer is to this problem but people will carry on being attacked until this can be solved.
It's very unfair on the dogs as they are not being cared for and trained properly and end up being killed due to mishandling.

I don’t know either, but it’s got to be easily implemented and enforceable.

What a sad thing to happen.

AGAA4

This keeps happening. Irresponsible people owning dogs. I don't know what the answer is to this problem but people will carry on being attacked until this can be solved.
It's very unfair on the dogs as they are not being cared for and trained properly and end up being killed due to mishandling.

I don't know what the answer is, either, but whatever it is - the 'powers that be' don't seem to be looking for it anyway.

Perhaps it should be much more difficult to own a dog - it wouldn't deter responsible dog owners, but it might prevent a few more people being mauled to death, including children.

At the moment - anyone can simply just 'get a dog' from anywhere and no questions asked, regardless. Frankly, IMO some people are not intelligent enough to own an animal - an animal which needs care (including all the health checks and vaccinations), training, and exercise. For the welfare of the dog itself, individuals should be vetted.

These attacks are happening far too often.

Absolutely Dickens it should be much harder to own a dog and more checks
We no longer have a dog warden in our town.
There was another man killed inside a house a few weeks back but there was very little press information about the case
It’s happening too often Almost every week there’s a child or adult killed by dogs and probably many injuries we don’t hear about

I see there's a case of a child badly injured by a staffie type that the parents had bought on line two weeks before! Because it looked sweet! We really need a way of controlling sales.

Deedaa

I see there's a case of a child badly injured by a staffie type that the parents had bought on line two weeks before! Because it looked sweet! We really need a way of controlling sales.

“But after we got him home it became apparent he was completely untrained.”

The family bought the dog for £200 via an ad on Facebook.

... one of the children came downstairs - a six year old boy - and the dog attacked him, biting his back and tearing off part of his scalp, dragging him down the stairs.

How can people now not be aware - the stories keep coming and make headline news?

Would any responsible parent with young children buy a dog advertised on Facebook?

There have been 11 deaths due to dog attacks in the last 18months, last year 3500 dogs were seized by police because they were dangerous - that’s 10 every day.

There should be control and training on all dog owners, there won’t be, so the deaths will continue.

The common denominator in the sudden increase of these attacks is XL Bully. Even the poor dog walker that was killed by the pack she was walking was actually killed by her own XL Bully it now transpires. As I’ve said before on this forum these dogs are huge. They’re normally owned by a certain type and are much favoured by drug dealers and gangsters. They are encouraged to be aggressive, not properly cared for and invariably passed from pillar to post.

I don’t know what can be done because banning them won’t stop it because they’re not a recognised breed and are a mix of breeds - think pit bull on steroids. Some are crossed with Great Danes and Cane Corsos in order to get a much bigger, massively muscled dog.

It’s the humans that own them that need sorting out and I have no idea how that can be done.

There seem to be so many more attacks than there used to be. I wonder if the sharp increase of puppy purchasing at the beginning of the Covid is a factor contributing to this. Could it be that some of the dogs purchased then were not trained properly, or conversely the pups had so much attention as their owners were always around some are now having an adverse reaction? Maybe it has nothing to do with it - who knows?

Training a dog, takes time and patience and regular exercise is essential, all things not shown in shots of cute puppies playing with a ball in a picture perfect garden.

I was amazed to read this morning that Vets are saying that golden cocker spaniels are more aggressive than Rottweilers, and spaniels generally can be aggressive. I grew up with spaniels, my grandfather bred them, and I have had seven over the years, including golden ones and I have never experienced aggressive one. However spaniels were working dogs and need exercise, far more than a “walk round the block”. On the other hand I did my research before choosing one.

Perhaps when the police have shot the dog, they should shoot the owner as well. Do that a couple of times and the problem would be resolved.

Here we are again. And we all, quite rightly, say "Something must be done" - but what?

tickingbird

The common denominator in the sudden increase of these attacks is XL Bully. Even the poor dog walker that was killed by the pack she was walking was actually killed by her own XL Bully it now transpires. As I’ve said before on this forum these dogs are huge. They’re normally owned by a certain type and are much favoured by drug dealers and gangsters. They are encouraged to be aggressive, not properly cared for and invariably passed from pillar to post.

Clearly, the current punishment doesn't deter these individuals. Perhaps 15 years in prison for manslaughter when their dog kills someone might concentrate their minds?

Goodness only knows how to deal with the stupid people with young babies / children who buy these dogs online because they look cute. Like that couple whose dog mauled their toddler daughter to death.

All large strong domesticated animals are potentially dangerous.

Let's have a sense of proportion and remember too that farmers ought not to graze cows on public rights of way unless they erect a fence between public and animals.

Dickens, it's less a matter of lack of intelligence as lack of practical training of the animal-buying public. Nobody should be allowed to own an animal of any sort unless would-be owner passes a test of basic knowledge and basic attitude.

Let's have a sense of proportion - sigh. There is no sense of proportion for those involved - for those who have lost children (even if they were partly to blame for buying the darned thing in the first place) or for this young man's family. Their lives are turned upside down.

And on the whole farmers do not parade their bulls unleashed on the streets, nor buy them for the purpose of looking macho.

How many more times is this going to happen!?
It seems easier to buy a dog than a goldfish!!! Anyone bought a gold fish recently?

Luckygirl3

Here we are again. And we all, quite rightly, say "Something must be done" - but what?

Every dog owner must be trained and checked for safety and dog welfare, yes it will cost but in comparison to the cost of buying and keeping a dog it would be peanuts. Try adopting a dog and see what hoops you have to jump through, every owner should have the same screening.

But it’s not going to happen there are no votes in it so politicians don’t care

Caleo

Dickens, it's less a matter of lack of intelligence as lack of practical training of the animal-buying public. Nobody should be allowed to own an animal of any sort unless would-be owner passes a test of basic knowledge and basic attitude.

I take your point. But with all the publicity surrounding dog attacks - especially the graphic headlines used by the tabloid media - I would question the intelligence of those, particularly parents of toddler-aged children, who respond to an online advertisement offering the type of dog most often associated with such attacks.
I agree with you - would-be dog owners need to have a basic knowledge and understanding of dogs in general as well as with the particular breed. And they certainly need to know the background history of any dog they purchase. Not only for their own benefit, but for the welfare of the animal itself.

Katie59

But it’s not going to happen there are no votes in it so politicians don’t care.

I tend to agree.

They are not going to start rocking boats among the dog-owning fraternity - even though some of the more responsible owners might welcome tighter regulation and control.

Dickens

*Katie59 *

But it’s not going to happen there are no votes in it so politicians don’t care.

I tend to agree.

They are not going to start rocking boats among the dog-owning fraternity - even though some of the more responsible owners might welcome tighter regulation and control.

Bit like the NRA and gun control in America - isn't it?

In all fairness the type of people that have these dogs aren’t likely to vote.

I agree Dickens what sort of parent buys that breed of dog from an unknown seller on the internet. The child's father should be held accountable for his idiotic decision. He must have been aware of all the other incidents which have taken place recently.

Frankly, there are some people out there who I wouldn't leave in charge of a tortoise, much less a massive, potentially vicious dog. Any remedial legislation needs to focus on the owner, not just the unfortunate dog itself. Any dog can be made vicious if it's treated badly enough. Yes, some dogs are born with a potentially aggressive trait, but it can usually be trained out of them. If that training fails, they should most certainly be removed from the gene pool, and not bred from.