Dog attack. Peckham Rye. Sun A.M.

[scott]

Does anyone know the couple who were attacked by a Staffordshire Bull Terrier on Peckham Rye, yesterday morning. They have a Pug called 'Fergal'...?

[jumpinjackflash]

I know a young couple with a pug - they used to live next door. Are they OK?

[shurrrp]

it was my staff and im still picking the mans coat from his teeth

[grabot]

I going to set this thread in the direction of a favourite old chestnut, but do other people feel threatened by these creatures when taking their children and or dogs for a walk on the Rye? I know the response: they are lovely animals, grabot is dogist etc. But as a poor judge of doggy character I have no way of knowing whether a particular individual is a "typically" gentle soul or a powerful psychotic killer and, whereas I guess that that applies equally to all breeds, I am rather less concerned about the impact of a Shi Tzu going medieval on my a**.

[Sandperson]

I may make myself unpopular (or more unpopular if you follow the football thread :))) but I agree with you Grabot. I have a 15 month old toddling around and approaching and being approached by dogs of all shapes and sizes and I get nervous. I have never had a dog as a pet and feel a poor judge of doggie character too.

[first mate]

I feel threatened by bull breeds if I don't know the dog and, more importantly, I don't know the owner. But that is because I am a dog owner myself and my greatest concern would be for the safety of my dog. I would have no concerns for my own safety.

In the wrong hands any dog can be a menace but some breeds have much more power than others. Staffs, if they are purebred, and have not been beaten and kicked into becoming aggressive towards humans by their human owners, are amongst the most reliable breeds with people. With other dogs, however, they can be highly aggressive, any responsible staff owner knows they have to be much more vigilant around other dogs. Many will be okay, but with some the job they were bred for, fighting and bull baiting, can come to the fore with disastrous consequences because they are so powerful.

Few dogs, like people, are born psychotic- a few are made that way by being abused or by very bad breeding. But, as I have already indicated, that is not a breed specific trait. People and children who treat dogs sensibly and with a degree of respect, are unlikely to ever come to harm from the average pooch.

[ClareC]

As a dog owner I can honestly say there are very few "nasty" dogs wandering around the Rye / Dulwich Park.

If I see a dog I am not sure about (I can honestly say I have NEVER came across a dog in these parts which I felt was a threat to me / other people, but I have come across a couple I have been concerned may be a threat to my dogs), generally the walker with the dog is a a darn good indication!

I do understand that it may be hard for a person who is not used to dogs guess their temperment, one of my dogs has a habit of "smiling" (which unfortunately looks rather gruesome) at friends and family he particularly likes when they visit and even one of the "doggy" one's asked me why he was pulling his lips back like that!! That said, generally, dogs are friendly to people, the dangerous one's are a very small minority which unfortunately get over publicised by the press.

[scott]

the Staff' owner was nowhere to be seen... Staff' attacked Pug, female owner tried to pick it up and got bit by the Staff'. Male owner then intervened and at one point had the staff' hanging from his forearm. The Staff' owner was still nowhere to be seen. I called Police and Ambulance. Both turned up very quickly. Both owners taken to hospital and the Ambulance dropped the Pug home (unscathed).

Although the attack took place inbetween the Bowling Alley & Picnic area the police found the owners over by the Nunhead side of the park. Whilst the owners were being treated we could here another attack close by. The Staff' and it's owner then came around the corner to be greeted by a pair of policeman.

[first mate]

Sandperson, as a kid it was instilled in me from a very early age to avoid dogs you don't know and to never touch a dog until you have asked its owner if you can, and if it is safe to so. You are right not to let your toddler approach dogs on his/her own.

[first mate]

Scott,

That is awful. Unfortunately the staff owner may use the excuse that the pug owners got bitten because they unwisely intervened in a dog fight. It's another golden rule that you don't intervene in a dog fight because there is every chance you will get bitten. However, if it was my dog I am sure I would, particularly with a bull breed/ "staff" type, for the simple reason that we all know they are being bred and trained for dog fighting and a minority of idiot owners encourage this behaviour. Some weirdos just get a buzz out of seeing their dog attack other dogs. Some simply don't know enough about the pitfalls of these dog types and get a staff type without doing their homework.

Unfortunately, quite a number of "staff" owners fall into the trap of thinking that because the breed is generally good with children and humans, it will be the same with other dogs- not so. Also many so-called staffs are not purebred and have pitbull or other less reliable breeds mixed in. Finally, so many people won't neuter their male "staffs". There is always a price to pay for keeping an entire male, it is a fact of nature that they will be more dog aggressive (other entire males that is) and more likely to fight. So aside from all the other breed characteristics vis av vis other dogs, keeping the males intact is really loading the dice in the wrong direction.

I do hope the owner of the dangerous dog is suitably punished and that the owners of the pug are okay too. A painful and traumatic experience.

[Dog]

I happened to catch the pretty badly made My Weapon is a Dog on BBC three the other day. About people who "deliberately train and abuse their animals to make them vicious attack dogs".

Much of it was shot at the north end of Peckham Rye park.

Nice.

Dog (not Pit Bull)

[muffins78]

It is how a dog is treated at home which affects its behavior around others.. I had a little maltese, pretty little thing, but I was completely protective of her and who would be allowed rub, hold or approach her. She had a fine temperment with everyone, but when she was little, my baby cousin (about 2) kicked her, as kids who know no better do. She wasnt a happy bunny and went to retaliate against my cousin - her natural instinct, she didnt know he didnt mean it. After that, I never let any small child approach her, Mum used to think I was over protective - but I could feel my dog tensing up.. I coudl never say for sure whether she would go to bite a small child, thinking they were going to kick her.

Its up to owners to know and understand their dogs behavior, obviously sometimes you wont know if someone has done anything to your dog, but when you know your dog, you will know how its reacting in certain situations!!

Thats terrible about the pug and its parents - I hope they are both okay now - it must have been a very frightening experience...

[curlykaren]

thats an awful story, and, I'm sorry to say, quite common in these parts (clare C you have been lucky), scott, if you would pm me a description of the dog I can let you know if it is the same one which has been responsible for several attacks and is under an order to be kept on lead and muzzle? well done for helping x

[ClareC]

That's horrendous! I hope the owners of the pug are OK and the owner of the Staff is dealt with appropriately. Admittedly I too would stop another dog attacking mine - in fact I have intervened when two "guard dog" rotweillers were about to attack my weimaraner - quite scary but there was no way I was going to stand by!! Fortunately the rottys as nasty as they were to other dogs did have respect for humans!

I mainly walk in Dulwich Park, has there been trouble there too?

I too was brought up to ask a dog owner if it is OK to stroke the dog rather than just doing so and I agree this is the right way to do things. I think quite a few parents do still do this, I often am approached by parents / children asking to make a fuss of the dogs.

[SteveT]

I was attacked by a pit bull some years ago in Brockwell park and I have never felt safe crossing a piece of grassland in London since.

I always walk with a walking stick and preferrably with someone else also with a stick. I feel okay about ordinary pets just about, but these bruiser dogs are terrifying and their pea brained, inferior owners are the cause of it all.

When these dogs attack it is extremely quick and was all I could do to keep it off me weilding a walking stick. There was no owner around anywhere to be seen, of course.

The parks are dangerous places with these creatures loose and unmuzzled, and is the reason why I use them less and less.

All dogs should have collars bearing the owners name and address. They should be muzzled and accompanied by an adult in all public places.

[sonofnun]

Dear Scott,

""

Are you a postcode racist ? what do you mean by, "the owners were found on the Nunhead side of the park ?" are you suggesting that nobody in ED owns a staff ? i heard that the owners of the said staff live on Barry Road in ED, otherwise known as MURDER MILE ? If you would kindly keep your collection of social claiming staff owners on your side of the park then us happy residents on the other side would sleep better, i hope when your new academy school opens that you do not bus all that trouble over to us, lets hope all the stabbings stay in SE22.

Much love NAF

and yes macgobbing you may be right.

[boosboss]

And there's me thinking the location of the staff owners was to elaborate on how far they were from the incident. Silly me!

Edited as no longer relevant since post being referred to was removed ;-)

[louisiana]

sonofnun Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Dear Scott,

> ""

> Are you a postcode racist ? what do you mean by,

> "the owners were found on the Nunhead side of the

> park ?" are you suggesting that nobody in ED owns

> a staff ?

Why not re-read what he wrote. He was saying, if I'm interpreting correctly, that the dog (one location) was a long way away from the owners (another location). But we would generally expect a responsible owner not to go too far away. That is all. Postcodes don't come into it.

[louisiana]

As was my own response to it. And a vanished poster.

Right, where were we?

[nunsaunty]

yes boosy

and there's, there's me thinking you steered an entire committee to spend 40+ grand to fill in a old swimming pool on the pre text of anti social behavior and then once getting your own way install a bid glass front to your loft extension overlooking said old pool now wild flower bed to improve your view, well mate the kids of peckham rye and their outdated and rusty play area thank you for such a considerate use of funding.

[curlykaren]

ooo dear? quickly join up under another name to have a personl snipe at boosboss have we nunsaunty??

Last time I looked, which was about 6pm mon eve, the kids play ground was not only not rusty but comprised of a skate park, childrens play area, new indoor activity centre and a currently being renovated outdoor jungle gym type thingy. Not to shabby at all really? I'm afraid the chip on your shoulder led you to read that post as a slight to those of us who live in SE15.

As someone who had to have a fight (to protect my own dog) with a staff/pitbull, while five months pregnant and had to go to hospital with a bleeding placenta I would really prefer it if we stayed on topic? please.

[Huguenot]

Is AllforNun back?

[Administrator]

nunsaunty and sonofnun (and some of their posts) have been removed because that user has been banned previously.

[SeanMacGabhann]

I love the retention of the word "nun" in all the names

and calling me MacGobbing - oh my aching sides

[boosboss]

nunsaunty Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> yes boosy

>

and there's, there's me thinking you steered an

entire committee to spend 40+ grand to fill in a

old swimming pool on the pre text of anti social

behavior and then once getting your own way

install a bid glass front to your loft extension

overlooking said old pool now wild flower bed to

improve your view, well mate the kids of peckham

rye and their outdated and rusty play area thank

you for such a considerate use of funding.

What? Who? Where? Unfortunately I don't own that house you're referring to, as I rather like it. You seem to be as usual rather confused.