Dangerous Dog In My Street

[Miss Wiggle]

right there's a dog down my street a sort of bulldog type thing (I'm not really a dog person, don't know exactly) and it's owners are complete chav's. The dog's horrible it snarls at you when you go past, barks at everyone and is generally quite intimidating. In the last few weeks on at least 4/5 occasions i've caught it going for one of my cats in the road outside my house, my front door goes straight on the pavement and she likes sitting just inside the door with it open eyeing up the pidgeons and everytime it's owners walk past with it it'll go mental at her and try and get in the house at her. Now I'm happy to accept dogs and cats will fight to an extent, and anyone else has as much right to keep a dog as I do a cat. So I've just considered it a bit of a pain but not something I can do much about. Then last night she was playing outside my house and we heard the dog going and it's owners saying 'go on go on' obviously encouraging the dog to attack things, So me and Ian jump up and go outside, soon as they clock Ian (not called Big Ian for nothing, he's 6'4!) they start calling the dog off and walk away. Ovbviously it's completely irresponsible and totally out of order for them to be activley encouraging the dog to attack cats, they obviously find it funny. A few months ago she came home and something had taken a proper bite out of her and she had to have stitches, the vets said it looked like a dog and now I'm starting to think it might be that one. Also the other day there was someone asking down the street about they're cat who'd gone missing. Fair enough I don't know for definate this dog is the cause of either thing but I'm really getting concerned for the cats in the street and I don't know what to do.

I don't want to end up keeping the cats inside as she really likes to play out and she shouldn't be bullied off the street, no way am I letting the kitten out until she's a lot bigger though. But I'm terrified of letting her out now.

Part of me knows I should report them but I've no idea who too, also it'd need to be anonymous as they're the sort of family who'd come round and start bricking the windows etc and I don't want to feel threatened in my own home. I've got Ian round though which helps, he's not a violent bloke but he's a big lad and used to be a bouncer so if they do start kicking off I know he can look after himself and me. But I'd hate for it to come to that, the state of the criminal justice system in this country he'd probably be the one getting in trouble for it even if they did start. Protecting the human rights of attackers and that rubbish!

So yeah I'm kind of at a loss what to do, anyone got any thoughts or know who i can contact anonymously

thanks

 

[McMurray]

IF you contact teh RSPCA they will come around and do an assesment of the dog from afar. you dont have to give your name in but if you just point out to them that you think the dog is a danger to public safety.

But watch out if you do this and the RSPCA do think this they the dog will be put down.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

yeah I know, this is the other thing, I'd hate to see a dog put down as I think the problems probably actually with the owner, maybe if it was just re-homed to someone responsible who's prepared to re-train it then it'd be fine

 

[KathyM]

The RSPCA won't do anything, it's not their responsibility. However, the dog warden should be made aware that it's off lead and unsupervised, and dangerously out of control (police too should you feel in danger of it going for you).

 

[Miss Wiggle]

it's on it's lead, the owners stood a metre away on the other end of the lead letting it do what it likes

 

[Bloo]

I feel issues like this are serious. If you feel intimidated and it's showing aggressive behaviour like that, I would report it. We used to have 2 Rottweilers living opposite our house and I absolutely feared to death walking past there. They had a rickety wooden gate that rattled when they jumped up against it. They seemed absolutely bloodthirsty.
If I wanted to take my dog for a walk, I had to run out of our gate (she was a Doberman btw.!) the opposite direction or else they would go absolutely ballistic.

Well one day(late evening), 2 woman walked passed the house and as they jumped up against the rickety wooden gate, it gave way. They got out and practically mauled her to death. It was horrific to hear (I was still a child then).

So whether or not you like to see an animal put to sleep, I'd rather see that happen than a child or another human being ripped to shreds.

If it were me, I'd report it to the RSPCA and leave it in their hands. They will more than likely make an investigation and assessment.

 

[KathyM]

I've been in this stiuation and the RSPCA can do nothing. This is a police and dog warden matter, not a cruelty issue (although I think we all feel differently).

Edited to add the specifics:

We had a dog attack us and our dog in the street. It was offlead and without an owner. RSPCA couldn't do anything as legally the dog warden control stray dogs. We reported it to the dog warden and the police as we knew where the dog lived (which is imperative if you want to take it to court). It went to court and we got (minimal) damages, and the owner was convicted of having a dog "dangerously out of control in a public place". Sadly they only got a fine, but they also got the message.

I should point out that we only got it to court because we felt threatened, not because our dog was badly injured. It's unlikely to get to court when it's "just" an animal thatgets attacked. We weren't bitten, thankfully I managed to swing my very frightened son out of the way when it went for him. If the dog had only attacked our dog (which it did as well) then it wouldn't have got to court as the CPS will only take very strong cases like this.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

yeah I know, obviously I don't want the dog to end up hurting someone or yet another cat, but I'd rather see the owners put to sleep than the dog! I was so angry last night, had to really control myself from giving them a load of grief, but I know it would have only ended up with them kicking off and Ian having to wade in, don't want that. Just concentrated on giving mitts lots of love and calming her down, she was terrified (and she's part siamese so doesn't frighten easily!).

Been searcing on the internet and it seems you can report them to the police, the dog warden or the RSPCA. none of the website's say anything about anonymity though and it absolutely has to be, I'm really worried I'd end up having my house trashed and having to move if they found out it was me. (sort of) Thankfully there's shed loads of cats in the street so I'm sure plenty of they're owners are facing the same thing so I don't think I'd be an obvious target

I've been in this stiuation and the RSPCA can do nothing. This is a police and dog warden matter, not a cruelty issue (although I think we all feel differently).

Edited to add the specifics:

We had a dog attack us and our dog in the street. It was offlead and without an owner. RSPCA couldn't do anything as legally the dog warden control stray dogs. We reported it to the dog warden and the police as we knew where the dog lived (which is imperative if you want to take it to court). It went to court and we got (minimal) damages, and the owner was convicted of having a dog "dangerously out of control in a public place". Sadly they only got a fine, but they also got the message.

I should point out that we only got it to court because we felt threatened, not because our dog was badly injured. It's unlikely to get to court when it's "just" an animal thatgets attacked. We weren't bitten, thankfully I managed to swing my very frightened son out of the way when it went for him. If the dog had only attacked our dog (which it did as well) then it wouldn't have got to court as the CPS will only take very strong cases like this.

do you know about the confidentiality, obviously if it went as far as court you'd have to, but if it didn't get that far, if someone just went round and checked up on the dog and took it away, would they have to know then?

thanks for the help by the way

 

[KathyM]

You can report anonymously to the dog warden and to the police, but it'll affect whether or not they take action. The family that owned the dog that attacked us were the roughest you can imagine, but they soon changed tune when the police took me to their house to identify their dog (which sadly was another necessity of taking it to court).

It's worth being brave if you can as otherwise it won't be taken seriously. To get any action they need you to stand up and be counted. I completely understand if you decide it's too much to do, we struggled with it too.

Also don't be worried about the dog getting put down - it just won't happen. It won't get seized either. The dog that attacked us had had several reports and this conviction against it's owners and it still hasn't been seized or destroyed - they had a muzzle order put on I believe. I was disappointed to be honest - the dog was far better off being PTS than staying there. They don't walk it now, the only exercise it ever got was when they let it out (in their own words "How else is he meant to get exercise if we don't let him out?").

 

[Bloo]

I "think" that for the record you will have to give your details - but if they approach the owners, they will have to obey your wish for anonymity.
Or just call them up and ask if you can report anonymously.

I would report it to all three of them. I'm of the belief rather safe than sorry.
Do this sooner rather than later - when it could be too late.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

Just rang the dog warden, they said they take my details but they would be kept confidential. The only case where it might need to be revealed is if it went to court when they would ask if I wanted to waive my right to anonymity. I need to find out the house number it lives at, know roughly but I'm not quite sure, I can easily find out though so I will and will ring them back.

Thanks for your help everyone, just needed a bit of support to get the courage to do this, I'm not very brave!

Kathy thats really sad, you have to feel bad for the dog don't you even if it did attack you, I'm sure given half a chance and a decent home and proper training it could lead a happy life without anyone being in danger. I think more often than not in cases like this it's the owners who are the problem not the dogs. A responsible owner would take the dog to training and get any aggression sorted out before it got too late

 

[juliehainsworth]

Gargh I hate dog owners that encourage they're dogs to go for any other animal just for fun it is so irresponsible!

Hope you get this sorted soon!

 

[KathyM]

I absolutely agree, and if you need any support, just PM me, we're all here for you. I know how hard it is, and I think you've been really brave.

In the case of this dog, it's obviously been poorly socialised, leading to nervousness around people and dogs, and escalating to attacking both. Sadly in that home it'll never change. When it comes to latchkey dogs like this, the ONLY guilty party is the owner, but I'd rather see this dog PTS than remaining in that home. Sadly unless they give it up for rehoming, this was the best outcome we could get. It wasn't jumping the fence, it was being deliberately let out despite it being aggressive. I'd seen it on numerous occasions before, and it was definitely afraid as well as aggressive, it wasn't his fault Something made him that way whether it was lack of socialisation or a damn good hiding I suspect a mix of both.

Sadly even if they took it to be rehomed, in the mental state it's in it would probably be at high risk of PTS anyway, as experienced homes are hard to find for nervous aggressive dogs like him, especially older crossbreeds.

Breaks my heart.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

Gargh I hate dog owners that encourage they're dogs to go for any other animal just for fun it is so irresponsible!

Hope you get this sorted soon!

thanks, me too, I was so angry last night I didn't get to sleep until about 4am I'd like to put my real feelings about the owners down here, but it'd end up like ######## ####### ######## ####### #### ######## #### ########### ######## ######### ########## #####!!

I absolutely agree, and if you need any support, just PM me, we're all here for you. I know how hard it is, and I think you've been really brave.

In the case of this dog, it's obviously been poorly socialised, leading to nervousness around people and dogs, and escalating to attacking both. Sadly in that home it'll never change. When it comes to latchkey dogs like this, the ONLY guilty party is the owner, but I'd rather see this dog PTS than remaining in that home. Sadly unless they give it up for rehoming, this was the best outcome we could get. It wasn't jumping the fence, it was being deliberately let out despite it being aggressive. I'd seen it on numerous occasions before, and it was definitely afraid as well as aggressive, it wasn't his fault Something made him that way whether it was lack of socialisation or a damn good hiding I suspect a mix of both.

Sadly even if they took it to be rehomed, in the mental state it's in it would probably be at high risk of PTS anyway, as experienced homes are hard to find for nervous aggressive dogs like him, especially older crossbreeds.

Breaks my heart.

thanks

 

[kjb66]

I must say you have done the right thing reporting it to the dog warden and rightly said dogs behaviour is 9 times out of 10 down to the owners and some people who have these dogs are just idiots.I have 2 staffy bull terriers (one from which i got from a rescue centre) and they will just lick you to death and jump all over you but when i got them my friends were very nervous of them now they all love them.
good luck hope you get it sorted out