xelena

Have sent you a pm

I too find it impossible to believe that the police are powerless in cases like this. They came very promptly to the scene and took details of the attack but basically told us that since a human wasn't attacked and the dog in question was not a pit bull type, they could take no action!!? I find this very peculiar because if that same person had come into my neighbour's front garden and smashed a window or two, they would certainly be prosecuted. I would really like clarification on this whole issue and will try to find out what exactly the law is. If there is anybody out there who really knows, please inform us.

If it is illegal to walk a dog off lead on the streets why do the community wardens and police tell me that when they see a dog being walked off lead on the street all they can do, if they do anything at all, is to 'advise' the owner that the dog be put on a lead?

The police know about this particular incident. There is nothing they can do because it was an animal that was injured, not a child. It took place in Gordon Road, but there are plenty of other incidents elsewhere in the borough as we know from working in animal rescue. I knew I would get a backlash from those few dog owners who object to keeping their dogs on leads, but I know of far greater numbers of responsible dog owners who are perfectly happy to walk their dogs on lead even if their dog would never attack. They would not dream of not doing so. So, what exactly is the problem? There are plenty of places where dogs can be let off the lead to run about. Why not keep our streets as safe places where leads are obligatory? As dog attacks go on increasing, sooner or later something will have to be done, the sooner the better in my opinion.

Last week my neighbours' cat, Billie, was attacked and killed by a dog. The dog's owner, a woman, opened the gate to my neighbours' front garden and purposely set the dog onto the cat. This is the fourth known fatal attack within a year in just the two streets around where I live. Billie's injuries were so horrific (his spine was completely severed) that the emergency vet who put him to sleep is compiling a report to the RSPCA. I work in animal rescue at the Celia Hammond Animal Trust in Lewisham. We are seeing a phenomenal rise in the number of dog attacks upon cats. The Trust is increasingly wary of homing any of its cats anywhere where there is easy access to a street or communal area, not only because of traffic but even more so because of the possibility of dog attacks. In order to try to curtail this brutal sport, a number of us are campaigning to increase the number of designated areas within the borough where dog control orders apply - dogs in the street and on communal areas within estates to be kept on the lead at all times and on the spot fines to be imposed on those walking dogs off lead. Please write to your local councillors about this issue if you care about keeping your area safe for your pets. Please note: some of the recent feedback I have received regarding this post has made me realise I wrote slightly ambiguously about our local campaign to increase the number of areas where dog control orders apply, and failed to distinguish it sufficiently from my paragraph about the Celia Hammond Trust. I would like to make it clear that the campaign has nothing to do with the Trust itself and apologise for any confusion caused.