Dog Attack! - Apparently not.

[thirdcrank]

.. . Wasn't it the time the dangerous dogs act for rushed through?

I do believe so and it has been criticised for having been introduced quickly. That doesn't mean that legislation was not long overdue. I don't have any problem whatsoever with the concept that it's not the dog to blame but the owner - that's pretty much on all fours with my favourite quote of Chief Dan Mathews: "Remember folks, it's not the car that killls it's the driver." That's not to say that it's ok for dogs to roam loose until we have dealt with their often elusive owners.

I think IanA's experience is typical. As I've posted earlier, I think most of the urban strays have been eliminated by traffic. However, in rural areas it's understable that people enjoy the extra security that a dog may provide, both in deterring intruders and making a lot of noise that alerts everybody to the presence of somebody who may be up to no good. Unfortunately, a dog's interpretation of the limits of its own domain may not coincide with the curtilage of its owners property. Farmers are understandably concerned when other people's dogs are not controlled; it should cut both ways.

[tykeboy2003]

The police have a very strange attitude towards the law. If, as a cyclist, you're involved in a "collision" they won't do anything unless you're actually injured. Similarly if you're attacked by an enraged motorist for simply obeying the highway code but not actually hurt, again they'll do nothing. A bit of a waste of space to be honest.

[Tiberius]

BTH I like dogs but their place within UK society is completely out of all proportion,their mess is on practically every street corner,their owners allow them off their long and stretchy leads where they shouldn't especially where there are children,increasingly farmers are complaining bitterly about their effect on livestock.
Yet say so much as a word about a dog's behaviour to their all too thick and stupid owner and your met with a hail of abuse

All that, so so true....

I hardly used to notice dogs and I couldn't have cared less if someone had a dog or didn't. Dogs simply weren't part of my life....but WOW, they are now. I think it is the rise in multiple dog ownership that has shocked me the most. I guess that there were always people who had three/four/five dogs, but round here no one (really) no one has a single dog, they all have three or four.

The place where I live used to be a lovely quiet area. We moved in approximately twenty years ago and I can't remember there being any dogs around here. Now we have numerous dog owners ALL with multiple dogs...what a racket, and the mess is just disgusting.

When did it become 'normal' to own lots of dogs ??....

[fastpedaller]

The police have a very strange attitude towards the law. If, as a cyclist, you're involved in a "collision" they won't do anything unless you're actually injured. Similarly if you're attacked by an enraged motorist for simply obeying the highway code but not actually hurt, again they'll do nothing. A bit of a waste of space to be honest.

Indeed. During the conversation I had on Sunday with the Police Operator she said "If you see them loose again, call 999 because they could cause an accident if there was a car going past". I was VERY tempted to say "don't bike riders or pedestrians count then?"

[fastpedaller]

Having been advised by District Council to contact Police, I responded to tell DC that I'd already done that to no avail.
Today District Council sent an email containing:

Thank you for your update, If you have the address for where the dog came from I will raise a worksheet for our Environmental Protection Team to investigate, they may not be able to take any action but at least it makes them aware of the incident for future reference. Thank you again for letting us know and we look forward to hearing from you. Many thanks

So my faith in human nature is somewhat restored. Now all I have to do is identify the property!

[Bonefishblues]

Your lone walker will certainly know, I'd have thought.

[MikeF]

Indeed. During the conversation I had on Sunday with the Police Operator she said "If you see them loose again, call 999 because they could cause an accident if there was a car going past".

"Accident" to what? The car?

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,

Hi,

The desired result is to repel the dog attacking you however playful it might appear to be as even a playful dog can cause a rider to fall,vinegar in a bidon works as we found out with Portugese dogs which tend to hang around in packs of four to six in villages there,a stoker with a good aim helps too
Carrying pepper spray or similar it illegal in the UK I believe,vinegar isn't and even diluted a little with water still packs a punch and has the desired effect.
I do not wish to get to the stage where I'm man handling a dog,it ain't health.

Vinegar is an acid, acetic,

Yep that'll be right

I used to work with the neat stuff, exposure to it burns the lining of the lungs and actually eat stainless steel, another poster has already raised an eybrow

[thirdcrank]

I think it's important to recognise the division of responsibilities here.

First, any dog in a public place without somebody present and in charge of the dog is a stray.

For most of the 20C, responsibility for stray dogs lay with the police. All police stations of any size used to have kennels for the short-term housing of strays and, frankly, it was a pita. But that's history.

A couple of amendments to the legislation transferred this responsibility to local authorities and with it quite a chunk of cash from police budgets. I don't claim any special knowledge of the legislation, or much interest in it, but this link seems quite reliable

https://vetsgetscanning.co.uk/dog-law-and-stray-dogs/

So, it seems to me that the police responsibilities are to prevent/ investigate offences and a Common Law duty to protect the public. What I'll term sorting out "stray" dogs is for local authorities.
=========================================================
I've just found this which seems a reliable source of info about offences in connection with the keeping / ownership of dogs.

https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/media/8277/law.pdf

[Cyril Haearn]

People *feel* safer with a dog or when driving a monster truck..

Dogs are big business, grooming, food, medicine, operations, psychology

My favourite is the dog walking service
Pick up a dozen dogs (GBP 10 each) drive out into the woods and sit drinking tea for a couple of hours, then return the dogs

[reohn2]

I used to work with the neat stuff, exposure to it burns the lining of the lungs and actually eat stainless steel, another poster has already raised an eybrow

But is that the same stuff you put on yer chips?
The same stuff they sell in the supermarket that if it were so lethal would need a health warning in case children got hold of......

[Tangled Metal]

People *feel* safer with a dog or when driving a monster truck..

Dogs are big business, grooming, food, medicine, operations, psychology

My favourite is the dog walking service
Pick up a dozen dogs (GBP 10 each) drive out into the woods and sit drinking tea for a couple of hours, then return the dogs

And there's nothing wrong with all of those. Although I question some of your comments.

"Feel safer with a dog" - whilst some might have that view most will have a friendly dog that is more likely to play with a burglar than deter them.

Dogs are big business but so are humans. How many bikes, cars, watches, cycling clothes / equipment, etc do you own. Big business too. Nothing wrong with all that. PS just had my haircut at a barber's. OK for human but not for dog considering a lot of cases it's about dog welfare to get them clipped (claws and hair).

Dog walking service? Have you seen that tea drinking dog walker or made up? Doesn't matter but if it's one running north of Lancaster towards Kendal area let me know so I can avoid. There's some good ones round here from what I've heard. Besides we're off earning the money but value the companionship dogs bring. So why not let someone make their money helping us have a dog. Well that's our view if we decide to go ahead with dog ownership.

Can I just point out there is nothing wrong with dog ownership including all the extras like grooming or dog walking services. It's irresponsible dog ownership everyone here has a problem with. Just like irresponsible ownership of anything including bikes, cars, etc.

Do not equate irresponsible behaviour with all ppl. I'm sure as keen cyclists your don't want that prejudice applied to you too for the sake of the minority.

[tykeboy2003]

Indeed. During the conversation I had on Sunday with the Police Operator she said "If you see them loose again, call 999 because they could cause an accident if there was a car going past". I was VERY tempted to say "don't bike riders or pedestrians count then?"

Speechless.... You should have said it.

[Tinnishill]

Dog Dazer, perhaps ? Never used one myself. Here's a previous thread.

viewtopic.php?t=65921

[bigjim]

I think most dogs these days are off their heads. Plus a lot of the owners. Many dogs appear to be some sort of child substitute, treated unaturaly and in unatural surroundings. No wonder they are crazy, plus I suspect, inbred. I was bought up on an Irish farm in the 50s with dogs part of our life. They did not bite and rarely barked. All this constant barking is not natural. Proper wild dogs rarely bark. They lose prey doing that. Domestic dogs are bored out of their minds most of the time, hence the chasing and barking. I like dogs and enjoy their company but the world I live in is not the right place for a dog, IMO.
I find chasing dogs usually give it up if you stop and shout at them. Running at them totally confuses them and they usually run off, as now they become the prey. Throwing stones at them will make them retreat. You only need to throw one and then bend down as if to pick up another usually sends them on their way. Stupid though it seems, being bopped on the nose by a rolled up newspaper has them cringing. My sister had Boxer dogs and a friend Alsations. They were both terrified by the newspaper thing. Maybe it was the Daily Mail?