Small Dog attack Goose Green 3pm (Lounged)

[Louisa]

I was walking across Goose Green at around 3pm this afternoon and I noticed what appeared to be a small terrier type dog jumping up at this lady with a small dog in her arms. The lady was obviously out walking her dog and she had a pram and child with her, the other dog appeared to belong to an elderly lady who could obviously not control the other dog at all. Eventually it took a few people to intervene and get the dog under control. The dog at one point had attached itself to the other dog in this ladys arms and was holding on biting. I saw the eledrly lady put the dog back on it's lead and she eventually walked off. It was very distressing for all involved and quite a scene. I was amazed that a large crowd of onlookers gathered and did not offer to help at all. One man reluctantly helped this poor lady in the end, but it was a little too late by this stage. I wish people could be a little more helpful and understanding by offering support in situations like this. To add to the situation, a bobby on the beat was on the oppostie side of EDR handing out a parking ticket!! I was gobsmacked!

Sorry 2pm my mistake!!

[TillieTrotter]

Bloody outrageous, some people should be ashamed of themselves.

[Nero]

And what did you do, Louisa? Nero

[Louisa]

I was the other person who helped! I went across first and then after a while a man came along to help remove the other dog. I was trying to make sure the child was ok because the small dog was yelping and it was obviously distressing the toddler. Honestly I could not understand why it took so long for anyone to help.

[Nero]

Ah, the post doesn;t make that clear. Good for you. Nero

[TillieTrotter]

I think we could have guessed that she got involved Nero, otherwise she would have looked a right plonker posting what she did!:-S

[Frisco]

Did no one call the 'bobby on the beat' issuing the parking ticket to intervene/assist?

[Asset]

"Eventually it took a few people to intervene and get the dog under control."

"I was amazed that a large crowd of onlookers gathered and did not offer to help at all."

So which was it?

[Louisa]

Myself and another individual helped, but there was easily a crowd of 20 people just standing by watching. I was walking along the path towards the incident at the middle gate towards the centre of the green. My point is why does it take myself and one other person out of 20+ to actually do something, and why on earth did the police officer who could clearly hear this incident remain handing out his ticket?

Asset please do not try and further investigate my version of events, I posted this thread rather angrily this afternoon and didnt get across all the details in the manner I would have prefered, but I am sure you get the drift of the story here. Two people intervened, when in fact this would not have been an incident at all if a larger crowd had got involved to help out, and more importantly the police officer.

[Frisco]

"and more importantly the police officer"

Perhaps you should report this.

[ASR]

Good on you for helping, its unbelievable how people can just stand there and do nothing, but just like in the cases of many other incidents, people just cant be bothered to get involved, on occasions even after having witnessed something crucial.

As for the police, they are just a big waste of time! As i have worked out from personal experience.

[Barry Rhode]

What was the owner doing?

Didn't anyone get her details or ask what happened?

How could she be allowed to just walk off?

Exactly how did the dog, "at one point had attached itself to the other dog in this ladys arms"?

Was it Foxton's fault?

[Louisa]

I actually felt very sorry for the elderly lady as she was trying her best to grab the dog but it was a fast mover and she couldnt get it on her own. Yes it was probably not a well trained dog and she should not have been in charge of it on a walk but she was trying her hardest under the circumstances so I think this is maybe why, in answer to Frisco, the other lady did not appear to want to report the incident.

The other lady held the her small dog high in the air to help prevent this other dog from attacking but it kept jumping up at her violently, and at one point managed to attach itself to the other dog with a bite, hence the loud yelp. It was this that was probably the most distressing moment for everyone involved in the incident. It was only a small dog that was doing the damage and it seemed bizarre at first, and had this not been an elderly lady in charge of the other dog I am sure a lot of people, myself included, would been happy to press charges or persue this further. Luckily the dog was brought under control in the end.

[dulwichmum]

Well done Louisa.

[Mark]

Did someone make the police officer aware of the incident as it sounds like he/she was obviously busy doing their job at the time?

20+ people in Goose Green at 2pm? I don't think I've ever seen that many people on there (except when there's a fair)

[edited once]

[Frisco]

_I think this is maybe why, in answer to Frisco, the other lady did not appear to want to report the incident._

Actually, that wasn't my question.

What I asked was, if there was a 'bobby on the beat' in the immediate vicinity (the impression given) at the time of the incident, why was he not hailed to assist? It does seem feasible that he might have left issuing a parking ticket to intervene, and if he was made aware of the incident, but didn't assist, than that needs to be reported. Also, the police very rarely ticket parked cars these days; that falls to the local authority.

[citizenED]

Well done for getting involved, Louisa. You did the right thing. I hope you, or someone like you, is around if I were to get into a spot of dog trouble on Goose Green. Don't worry about the sniping over your original post; quite tricky to get the facts of any incident right, especially if you are posting so soon after it.

[Keef]

Exactly right, good for you Louisa!

Why is everyone questioning Louisa over this? Have a word with yourselves!

[downsouth]

Agreed.

[Asset]

Not everyone Keef - just me, and I'm not questioning. Just trying to work out if it's an hysterical over-exaggeration or not.

Obviously not, it must have been very traumatic for all concerned.

[Frisco]

"Why is everyone questioning Louisa over this? Have a word with yourselves!"

I am asking questions of Louisa because she made a remark relating to a 'bobby on the beat' doing other things rather than getting involved, which read like a criticism. It read as being a bit anti-police to me. I'd therefore like to what action was taken to give an opportunity for the said 'bobby' to intervene or to act after the event, as his apparent failure to act has been referred to. Obviously, if he ignored the whole thing, then that's reprehensible and needs to be reported, but we're not sure because his presence in the vicinity was only alluded to.

Also, this incident reads to me like a potential crime under the Dangerous Dogs Act, and I'd rather that people reported such incidents to the police in the heat of the moment, than choosing to do it rather fruitlessly on this forum.

Also, if you always accept everything on face value, it may be that it's you that needs to have a word with yourself.

I'm glad she intervened, it was very public spirited, but it appears that the owner, and the apparently dangerous dog in question, may have got away and that it could easily happen again.

[Keef]

Frisco, are you a Police Officer?

Personally with regards to the police officer, I don't think there's any indication s/he has done anything wrong, they were "on the oppostie side of EDR handing out a parking ticket!!" which suggests they were busy, and may not have even seen / realised the severity of the situation at that point.

As for the old lady who owns the dog, I don't think anyone should be reporting her for anything. One would hope that this experience has shown her that perhaps she needs to rethink the way the dog is walked / let free. Maybe she should even be giving it up, but I think she should get the benefit of the doubt for the time being.

Also, putting it on this forum was not fruitless, it has made people aware of the situation, and obviously we will all be looking out for psycho little dogs when walking on the green.

Oh, and what leads you to believe that I take everything on face value?

[Frisco]

"Frisco, are you a Police Officer?"

No, and I'm not sure that's relevant, but I can see veiled criticism when I read it.

"Personally with regards to the police officer, I don't think there's any indication s/he has done anything wrong, they were "on the oppostie side of EDR handing out a parking ticket!!" which suggests they were busy, and may not have even seen / realised the severity of the situation at that point."

In that case, why mention it in the context of reporting here what had happened?

My concern is that potentially a crime took place and, while it's suggested that a 'bobby on the beat' was in the vicinity, and by implication doing something less important that dealing with this situation, he/she doesn't appear to have had the matter drawn to their attention. No one can realistically complain about them doing nothing, if the matter isn't even drawn to their attention.

"As for the old lady who owns the dog, I don't think anyone should be reporting her for anything. One would hope that this experience has shown her that perhaps she needs to rethink the way the dog is walked / let free. Maybe she should even be giving it up, but I think she should get the benefit of the doubt for the time being."

That's one opinion, but many may not share it, particularly the person with the other dog who was attacked.

"Also, putting it on this forum was not fruitless, it has made people aware of the situation, and obviously we will all be looking out for psycho little dogs when walking on the green."

And what will you/they do then? Had the incident been reported, people probably wouldn't need to be alerted and have to worry about encountering this 'psycho' little dog when walking on the green and wouldn't have to worry. Also, not everyone in ED reads these boards, and if you read what was originally written, it wasn't for that purpose, it was mainly to bemoan the fact that 20 members of the public did nothing.

"Oh, and what leads you to believe that I take everything on face value?"

Well, this is possibly evidenced by: "Why is everyone questioning Louisa over this? Have a word with yourselves!". Of course you may not, but your apparent criticism of those who don't in this case might reasonably give that impression.

[Keef]

Bloody hell, calm down. I was not intending any veiled criticism, I was half joking, and half asking a serious question based on your comments that led me to believe that you might be a police officer, or have some connection to the police.

That's one opinion, but many may not share it, particularly the person with the other dog who was attacked.

I completely agree, it is my opinion. Apparently though, the woman who was attacked didn't appear to want to press charges.

I don't want to start a row here, and maybe saying "have a word with yourselves" was a bit much. It is a term I use mostly in jest. However, I do not take things at face value, and I could equally argue that those who were quoting Louisa and taking her story apart were taking it at face value, whilst others read between the lines, or just didn't really care.

I wouldn't have cared or posted on this thread at all, but I fely Louisa was being unfairly treated.

[Fizzy]

Good heavens, Goose Green isnt the only place where there is the sound of scrapping! I should imagine poor Louisa is sorry she ever posted. Now everyone, calm down and back in your baskets!