My dog attacked by Staffie type of lead

[Delainie]

I was walking my dog in oglander road & she was attacked by a Staffie type of lead. I wanted to thank the woman

In her car for stopping to ask if we were ok, that was very kind of her.

I'm just getting pretty fed up with irresponsible dog owners with their dogs of lead & think that by saying sorry & walking of is acceptable. My dog has a bite on her leg. I don't understand why the government doesn't make it law to have all dogs on leads when walking in the streets. I see people let there dogs go in & out of gardens, as though that's ok!!! Before anyone accuses me of being anti Staffie, they are great dogs, its always the owner I have a problem with & my dog is a mastiff x so she could handle herself, what if it was my 80 year old neighbour with his tiny dog? It isn't bloody fair. Now I have to be aware that as this dog is around at my neighbours often & walk with his dog of lead & my neighbours dog of lead, there is a high chance this will happen again & if both of lead, my dog will be in trouble.i just don't understand why the government doesn't implement change, people's children , adults, other dogs and cats all at risk because of some irresponsible people. Anyhow that's my moan for the year!

[Huggers]

Awful for you Delainie. I think there is already a bylaw for dogs to be on lead except in parks- it's a question of implementing it.

There is a bloke goes round with a staffie off lead and I have called out at him when his dog pooed on the pavement in our street and he walked on and he gave me all kinds of abuse.

If his dog had been on the lead he would have at least been next to it when it did it's poo instead of blindly walking on.

also my own dog who is on lead would def kick off if hassled by an offlead dog in the street, which is another worry.

[first mate]

Assuming your dog was seen by a vet to have the wound cleaned - and it is always best to make sure, don't just leave it- I'd send your neighbour the bill. If you had witnesses you could think about legal action. People like this make me furious, it is so irresponsible. Moreover, this staffie owner has clearly demonstrated that their dog is not under control in a public place. You are right, having done it once it is more likely to do it again and the next dog may not come off so lightly.

[first mate]

It is my unjderstanding that in law the issue is the behaviour of the dog rather than if it is on or off a lead. Bizarrely, a dog that was on a lead but managed to viciously attacked a dog off a lead might render the owner holding the lead liable. It is an anomaly that needs sorting and I agree we need legislation to make having a dog on lead on the street mandatory and not just subject to bye laws. However, the two dogs you describe are clearly not under control as they moved away from their owners. If the dogs jumped up at you they might render their owners liable under the DDA if you felt intimidated or under attack from those dogs.

What is little known is that while it may be lawful to walk a controlled dog offlead, you are not allowed to cross a public highway with your dog offlead. The problem I think is the definition of 'control', but a dog being on lead is not proof of control per se, though it is likely to be a mitigating factor.

[first mate]

EG,

No if you are out with your dog and your dogs crosses a road, either with you offlead or on its own off lead, you are breaking the law- presumbaly the idea is that offlead dogs have no place on a public highway.

I ceertainly understand your anxiety about offlead dogs coming at you and your dog. One tip is to always keep some high value treats, like a little pack of cheese cubes (you can chop them up yourself). If you see a strange dog approiaching offlead simply throw a handful of cheese cubes away and in front of you and hopefully the dog will focus on scoffing those while you cross the road and put as much distance as you can between you and the offlead dog. The other tactic, if you can't get away, is to draw yourself up to your full height, put your hand out in front of you like a policeman's stop sign and tell the dog to go away, or to sit . Obviously try to put yourself between your dog and the other dog. Don't be aggressive just be calm and assertive.

[aquarius moon]

All dogs should be kept on leads in public places, on roads & pavements etc. & outside peoples front gardens.

The only exceptions should be open spaces like parks, where they can be let off the lead when they get there & put back on lead before they leave.

[KylaKevin]

It is sometimes creates big problems when someone put off the leed from their pets, people should follow the law to put the leeds on to their pets so every one will be safe from anykind of trouble.