dog bite

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Slick

Slick

Guru
a.twiddler said:
You are the only poster to mention "sticking the boot into an animal". The OP would not have been exercising the right to defend himself unless he was being attacked, which seems to have been unprovoked and sudden enough that he couldn't get his bike in between himself and his attacker in time. Was the dog injured? Apparently not. Was the OP injured? Manifestly, yes, and fortunate not to have further injuries.

Most of the other posts have been fairly balanced and certainly haven't sought to demonise dogs. I have had run ins with dogs over the years, but most of my experiences have been positive. As a last resort I would certainly use whatever objects I had to hand to defend myself if I had to.

To their owners they may be their loyal, affectionate fur baby companions, they're "just playing" even when they bark and chase you, "they don't mean it" when they snarl and bare their teeth at you, but for people on the receiving end of the activities of a poorly trained dog, it's no joke. Many people have a fear of dogs, maybe from a childhood experience of being bitten, or a more recent experience. The old saying, "every dog is allowed one bite" is all very well, until you're the one it bites. In the grand scheme of things, actual dog bites are rare, but the fear of it happening affects many people, and one occurrence spreads like ripples on a pond to affect others who hear about it.

Going on about "K9 SAS" and "regurgitating the devil dog scenario" is not helpful. It might work for tabloid newspapers who like to demonise
social groups, but I hope we're better than that here. Either your dog is properly trained and under control, or it's not, and the penalties for that should be more stringently applied.

I suppose that there will now be a torrent of posts from dog owners stating how well controlled their dogs are. My dog never does this, that, or the other etc, and no doubt they are right. Nobody is going to post about what a rotten, uncaring dog owner they are, and what an unruly slavering monster their particular mutt is.

It just seems rather self indulgent to be a dog owner and enjoy the benefits of pet ownership, then expect the rest of the population to have to put up with the downsides if you don't put in the effort to train it and keep it under control.
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Take another look. :okay:
 
Emanresu

Emanresu

Senior Member
Dogs are strange and have strange fixations.

While sitting in a cafe having a break from the rain, saw the cafe owner's dog patrolling the side of the road. Pedestrians were OK and so too were the cars that stopped. But if it saw a cyclist it would start running/barking at it and the cyclist. It's only saving grace was it was a dachshund.
 
OP
OP
davy

davy

Active Member
ExBrit said:
That is like saying if there is an active shooter you should not look for cover because that just makes them more aggressive.
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exactly ....and in other places parallels have been drawn with female clothing !!!! ....all wrong in this crazy world 2023
 
OP
OP
davy

davy

Active Member
Drago said:
And in criminal law too.
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mmmm...yes thats so....but...the police said after visiting the owners...."the dog is young and just excited and lively....if I hadnt moved the bike around it wouldnt have bitten me."......!!!!........they arent prosecuting and the dog has been sent for further training at the rescue centre from where it came..................... go figure !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Threevok

Threevok

Growing old disgracefully
Location
South Wales
davy said:
mmmm...yes thats so....but...the police said after visiting the owners...."the dog is young and just excited and lively....if I hadnt moved the bike around it wouldnt have bitten me."......!!!!........they arent prosecuting and the dog has been sent for further training at the rescue centre from where it came..................... go figure !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Ahh yes - the 5 stages of denial - that absolve bad owners of any responsibility.

He won’t hurt you
He's only playing
He's never done that before
You must have provoked him
This would never have happened, if you had [insert ludicrous statement here]
 
a.twiddler

a.twiddler

Veteran
davy said:
mmmm...yes thats so....but...the police said after visiting the owners...."the dog is young and just excited and lively....if I hadnt moved the bike around it wouldnt have bitten me."......!!!!........they arent prosecuting and the dog has been sent for further training at the rescue centre from where it came..................... go figure !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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So they can guarantee that it wouldn't have bitten you if you had kept stock still? I think that's what's supposed to work with bears, not dogs. They might as well have suggested that if you'd decided to stay in bed that day, it wouldn't have bitten you. If it's so young and exciteable and lively, why wasn't it on a lead? I'm sure there are plenty of young, exciteable and lively dogs that don't go around chomping on passers by. Every dog starts out as a puppy, after all.

Is that what they would say if you were mugged? He's just young, excitable and lively, he'll grow out of it. The only difference that I can see is that this dog didn't steal your wallet.
 
OP
OP
davy

davy

Active Member
a.twiddler said:
So they can guarantee that it wouldn't have bitten you if you had kept stock still? I think that's what's supposed to work with bears, not dogs. They might as well have suggested that if you'd decided to stay in bed that day, it wouldn't have bitten you. If it's so young and exciteable and lively, why wasn't it on a lead? I'm sure there are plenty of young, exciteable and lively dogs that don't go around chomping on passers by. Every dog starts out as a puppy, after all.

Is that what they would say if you were mugged? He's just young, excitable and lively, he'll grow out of it. The only difference that I can see is that this dog didn't steal your wallet.
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totally agree ....thank you
 
Drago

Drago

Legendary Member
Location
Suburban Poshshire
davy said:
mmmm...yes thats so....but...the police said after visiting the owners...."the dog is young and just excited and lively....if I hadnt moved the bike around it wouldnt have bitten me."......!!!!........they arent prosecuting and the dog has been sent for further training at the rescue centre from where it came..................... go figure !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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The fact is it is a criminal offence, a recordable crime, to be in charge of a dog in a public place which causes injury or fear of injury. That the dog is young, easily excitable, or votes lib dem is utterly, completely irrelevant. It. Is. Simply. A. Crime.

Period.

If it had simply frightened you it might be appropriate, assuming the owner was suitably contrite, to deal with the matter informally by way of a community resolution. Something like a sincere written apology, or an undertaking to take the dog for training an keep it muzzled un public, that sort of thing. A community resolution requires that you agree to it as an outcome, it cannot be thrust upon you as a fait accompli.

However, you were actually attacked and injured by this animal which ups the ante somewhat. This makes a community resolution an inappropriate outcome, unless you feel sorry for the owner and agree to it.

It should be investigated as the crime it is and, assuming the evidence is there, the owner should be interviewed under caution in a police station. If the injury was minor, if its the first time the dog has done such a thing, and (most importantly) the owner makes a full and frank admission then they may be eligible for a disposal by way of a formal police caution.

If it is not a one off, or if the owner refuses to make an admission then (against assuming the evidence supports it) they should be charged and sent to court.

It really does seem that you are being fobbed off by a Bobby that does not understand the law, procedure, current policy, and likes to throw in a bit of jolly victim blaming for good measure. I do wonder if the copper, willingly or subconsciously, thinks you might be a bit soft or easily bamboozled because of your seniority.
 
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