Dog bite

[eileithyia]

Thanks all. Reported to CUK..... my main concern was his total lack of concern and nonchalent attitude....plus the fact a short while later someone else said their son had been bitten by the same dog last year. Clearly it is in the habit of doing so and the path was busy with a variety of families with children who could so easily be mauled/killed by this dog.

What was the response from Cycling UK?

Thanks

Jonathan

Only reported later this PM so not heard anything back yet.

[brianleach]

No help I'm afraid but it reminds me of an incident probably 70 years ago. My mum and I cycled everywhere because that's how we got about in those days. On our regular ride to get the groceries we had to cycle past a scrap yard which was "protected" by german shepherd dogs called alsatians in those days. Everytime it would rush out at us and we had to pedal like anything to outrun it. My mother was the kindest sweetest lady who wouldn't hurt a fly but she finally snapped. As it went for her she calmly removed the pump on her bike and belted the dog across the muzzle. The dog yelped and disappeared back in to the yard. It never chased us again!

[ANTONISH]

No help I'm afraid but it reminds me of an incident probably 70 years ago. My mum and I cycled everywhere because that's how we got about in those days. On our regular ride to get the groceries we had to cycle past a scrap yard which was "protected" by german shepherd dogs called alsatians in those days. Everytime it would rush out at us and we had to pedal like anything to outrun it. My mother was the kindest sweetest lady who wouldn't hurt a fly but she finally snapped. As it went for her she calmly removed the pump on her bike and belted the dog across the muzzle. The dog yelped and disappeared back in to the yard. It never chased us again!

Yes - another advantage of carrying a frame fit pump.

[Carlton green]

As an individual I’ve diminished confidence in our Police Forces, there seems to be ideological behaviour in some cases and lack of what I’d consider common sense in others. I hope never to need them, and doubtless they have their own raft of problems. Maybe it’s relative seriousness of actual injury and lack of resources that fosters minimal interest by constabularies, I suspect we’re uncomfortably near to finding out what life in the Wild West was like.

As a dog owner myself I’m conscious of the need for it to behave acceptably and that’s more than overwhelmingly the case in other owners too - but as ever there are exceptions who spoil things for everybody else. I’m also conscious of dog on dog attacks, they are more common than you’d think as are fatalities.

Then there are people - I suspect quite a big percentage of the population - who are just not good with dogs, of course one shouldn’t need to be (good with dogs) but life is full of hazards that we shouldn’t have to pick a safe pathway through. It’s a sad fact that there’s a lot more than one way in life to be ‘bitten’ than by a dog .

[Jdsk]

I suspect we’re uncomfortably near to finding out what life in the Wild West was like.

I recommend looking at the crime statistics, and especially the excellent series from the Crime Survey for England and Wales.

Jonathan

[Jdsk]

I believe the law is 'letting your dog be dangerously out of control in a public area'... for which the police should get involved, and if not make a complaint against them...

..I may be wrong but I believe their oath is still about up holding every law and not just the ones they happen to like...

The police have limited resources and have to make judgements every day about what they will and won't follow up. This has always been the case. Having priorities isn't a breach of any oath.

Jonathan

[Bmblbzzz]

What was it that the first edition of Richard's Bicycle Book recommended (I only have a later edition)? Ramming a pump down the dog's throat?

But whatever it was, that's "self defence" rather than "legal action" or "restitution".

[Jdsk]

What was it that the first edition of Richard's Bicycle Book recommended (I only have a later edition)? Ramming a pump down the dog's throat?
...

I'll check later but IIRC it depended on the size of the dog. For the smaller models it was to pick them up by the hind legs and bash their head on a kerb.

Jonathan

[TrevA]

Has anyone successfully sued someone for an out of control dog that has bitten them? Dog reared up and bit me on the elbow as I rode past, reported to police and ended up at A&E for tetanus and antibiotics. Owner totally unconcerned no remorse not even a sorry. Then someone we spoke to on the canal, said they knew the guy, that his dog is a menace and their son was bitten last year but it wasn't reported. My main concern especially on hearing what a menace it is, is that the canalside was full of walkers, cyclists and families.... next time it could be a child's face or throat it snaps at, as it was whilst on the phone to the police it had a go at another cyclist and dog.

Similar thing happened to my wife whilst we were out on a dog walk. Dog appeared from nowhere, tried to attack our little dog, my wife picked her up and got bitten by the other dog. Owner appears, grabs her dog but is unconcerned that it’s bitten someone, saying “Oh, it just a scratch (it wasn’t)”, then quickly disappeared. My wife has to go to hospital for tetanus and stitches. Reported to the Police, but they could not identify the owner so case closed.

[Jdsk]

Reported to the Police, but they could identify the owner so case closed.

Reads as if that should be couldn't.

Jonathan

[axel_knutt]

I think it's very difficult for any of us to really know what we'd do in an emergency situation until it happens. IME there usually isn't any time to think, so it's mostly a reflex action, presumably borne of whatever experience or understanding of the situation you may or may not have already had.

When a rottweiler went for me I managed to dodge out of the way and slam a door in it's face, but it just wouldn't be true to say I thought about my options and decided that was the best one. I just jumped to it.

[cycle tramp]

What was it that the first edition of Richard's Bicycle Book recommended (I only have a later edition)? Ramming a pump down the dog's throat?
...

I'll check later but IIRC it depended on the size of the dog. For the smaller models it was to pick them up by the hind legs and bash their head on a kerb.

Jonathan

A little extreme for the UK... (other countries may have proper feral dogs)... where most dogs know the sound of a human voice and knows who gives them their food. Bellowing 'You're a bad dog! No dinner for you'.. has always worked well for me...

[cycle tramp]

Has anyone successfully sued someone for an out of control dog that has bitten them? Dog reared up and bit me on the elbow as I rode past, reported to police and ended up at A&E for tetanus and antibiotics. Owner totally unconcerned no remorse not even a sorry. Then someone we spoke to on the canal, said they knew the guy, that his dog is a menace and their son was bitten last year but it wasn't reported. My main concern especially on hearing what a menace it is, is that the canalside was full of walkers, cyclists and families.... next time it could be a child's face or throat it snaps at, as it was whilst on the phone to the police it had a go at another cyclist and dog.

Taking a step back from this... if the canal side is full of walkers, cyclists, uncle Tom Cobbley and everyone else... perhaps the dog is just scared? Dogs look to us as being head of the pack and picks up its cues from its owner... if the owner is really indifferent, then perhaps the dog feels it can't rely on its owner to protect them and has to rely on itself...
...a little bit of animal empathy goes along way in dealing with dogs and horses...
..less so chickens which believe they are small dinosaurs..

[TrevA]

When my wife was attacked, the sensible thing to do was to whip out my phone and take a photo of the offending dog and owner, but never occurred to me at the time. I was busy trying to get it away from biting my wife again.

This dog wasn’t scared, it was intent on trying to get my dog. It was twice the size of our dog.

[Cowsham]

My mother used to breed dogs so I grew up with them. There's bad and good dogs in every breed. From completely psychotic shelties to the most gentle of German Shepard's but when your are out and something attacks you need to know what to do and have a plan of action.

A dog is a territorial animal and will try to protect it's owner ( or pups) so if you can avoid presenting as a threat to it or it's perceived territory or it's owner there's a chance you won't get bit but have a plan if things get nasty.