Dangerous Dog + Forest Hill Rd

[lbsmith73]

My au pair was waiting outside Co-op (Forest Hill Rd) with my 2 year old cocker spaniel when a women lost control of her Pit Bull Terrier and it attacked my dog. It grabbed her neck and wouldn't let go and it took 5 people to pull the dog off. My au pair was terrified and got knocked to the ground. The women claims she found the dog at Christmas and she was having trouble with it, she didn't give her name, some people called the Police but my Au Pair had left the scene. My dog has a nasty cut on her neck but is otherwise ok.

If you helped, thank you very much as you certainly saved my dog from a life threatening situation. I would like to trace the owner so if you were there and have any information please PM me.

Other dog owners be aware the dog is brown American Pit Bull and the owner was 30-40 with dyed blond hair.

[IlonaM]

What a horrible experience for both your au pair and dog.

Might the Co-op have cctv of the area outside their shop? At least around the entrance and any cashpoint.

[sally buying]

I do hope you have more success with this than we did.

My daughter's dog was savaged by an off the lead and with no collar pitbull just recently and sustained extensive wounds. Just loose on the street.

Despite many witnesses and people who could identify the owners, even to the extent of giving their address as they were known locally the police did not want to know.

Putting up any excuse to not take the matter forward.

Despite writing to say this is wrong they have closed the case and will not take it further.

The veterinary fees were very high and who has to bear this, the owners not the could not care less dog owners who caused these injuries.

We are taking this higher and further I wish you luck but do not hold your breath.

[ianr]

> We are taking this higher

Is your daughter considering a civil claim for damages, of at least all the vet's bills, against the dog's owner and/or person in charge of the dog at the time?

[ARF]

I logged on specifically to see if there was a thread on this and I am really pleased to hear that your dog was ok. I can quite imagine that your au pair was terrified. I was with a friend and saw some of the attack. It was awful and seemed to last for ages. We had three small children with us so didn't linger and several other people were there and trying to intervene. I can't believe the owner of the other dog didn't give her details to follow up with. I really hope you can track her down.

[Phlox]

So sorry to hear this. Did the owner say it was a Pit Bull? Or an American Bulldog? American Bulldogs are quite tall, like Boxers. Pit Bulls seem to be called American Staffordshire Terriers now in order to get round the illegality of owning them here.

I remember several years ago that there were two men who owned an American Bulldog they couldn't control walking in Peckham Rye Park. From what I recall, the dog savaged at least two other dogs, and the owners were tracked down and the dog was confiscated. Maybe you could ask the park warden for help.

[stringvest]

Ask the local dog warden for help. They are very nice and helpful and take these things seriously, working with the police etc.. A fox was almost killed by two small off-lead dogs in a private garden, I tried to help the fox, but the dogs kept snapping at my hands and feet. it was awful. the fox must have been destroyed by the RSPCA. How sad for you all.

[A.king]

.

[Stephieee]

A local police officer told me that they won't take dog attacks seriously unless they've hurt a human. I asked him if that meant that the next time my dog gets harassed in the park while the owner stands by and does nothing I should put myself in between them he said yes.

[sally buying]

Thanks for this comment explains why our attack report was closed and they back pedaled as fast as they could go.

Perhaps when a fatal injury happens they will come out with the normal "lessons have been learned"

[Phlox]

Stephieee Wrote:

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

> A local police officer told me that they won't

> take dog attacks seriously unless they've hurt a

> human. I asked him if that meant that the next

> time my dog gets harassed in the park while the

> owner stands by and does nothing I should put

> myself in between them he said yes.

When did this policy start?

[KrackersMaracas]

I can confirm that we've also been told the same - a number of years ago our family dog was hurt incredibly badly by a bull-terrier type dog. The owner couldn't control it and eventually we had to prise the dogs' teeth off our dogs underside. The owner left and we wrote down the number plate of the car & reported to the police. We weren't concerned about payment for surgery etc but actually very worried about the fact the dog was vicious (the attack was so much more than a "warning snap" or play for dominance), the owner clearly could not control it or call it off, nor showed any inclination to stop the animal, and who the dog could harm next. The police told us that they could do nothing unless the dog had attacked a person.

Lbsmith- I am so sorry to hear about the attack. I hope your dog is recovering as best it can (no doubt it will impact her future interactions with other dogs) and your au pair & family are not too badly shaken.

Stephieee Wrote:

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

> A local police officer told me that they won't

> take dog attacks seriously unless they've hurt a

> human. I asked him if that meant that the next

> time my dog gets harassed in the park while the

> owner stands by and does nothing I should put

> myself in between them he said yes.

[JohnL]

Perhaps being replaced with these fixed penalty fines

https://www.southwarknews.co.uk/news/dog-walkers-face-100-fines-not-clearing-mess-new-rules-considered-council/

[lbsmith73]

Thanks for all your messages, Edie (Dog) is doing fine, she has a nasty cut on her neck but the Vet has patched her up. She has been in the park and seems happy to socialise with other dogs. I think I'm more worried than she is! My Au Pair was shaken and upset as she feels she should have protected her but everything is getting back to normal. Thanks to the person who posted a picture of the women with the dog, I now know it was a staff type dog. I have reported it to the Police but as previous posters have said not much they can do unless it attacks a person. My main concern is that the women admitted she could not control the dog and that it may happen again.

A massive thank you to my dog walking friend who happened to be there and put herself at risk to pull the other dog off Edie. Also there was another gentleman who was instrumental in preventing what could have been a fatal attack, I can't thank you enough.

Please look out for this dog and take care.

[DadOf4]

That sounds horrible LBsmith73 - I do hope your dog is recovering

I find it completely bizarre that a human could be prosecuted for hurting a dog and an owner can be prosecuted if their dog hurts a human, but the police aren't interested if an irresponsible owner lets their dog attack another dog.

From what she's said ("I'm having trouble with it") , clearly this woman knows that her dog poses a risk. I see it 100% therefore as her responsibility to ensure her dog cant get into situations like this. If that means a lead & muzzle, so be it

dogs are still animals and, to that extent, can be unpredictable. I'm sure there are cases of normally calm dogs getting into fights. But this sounds different. If she knows that something like this may happen and still gets into these situations - to me she is negligent (possibly criminally so)

[lbsmith73]

This a photo of the owner with the dog after the incident. I would like to get an address so I can pass the details to the Police.

[Lollipop]

Hello - I saw her going into the chemists near Potager this evening and realised I had seen her before in the same place. Today she was wearing the jacket in your photo, which is why I recognised her (and she had the dog with her)

The dog is actually a brindle staffie. I was walking my dogs and she warned me to keep away as her dog was not good with other dogs....

She obviously lives somewhere close by so you might get some more information from either the off licence (about to become a Costcutter) or the chemist. I have seen her going into both - and leaving the dog tied up outside.

Hope that helps

[lbsmith73]

Lollipop Wrote:

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

> Hello - I saw her going into the chemists near

> Potager this evening and realised I had seen her

> before in the same place. Today she was wearing

> the jacket in your photo, which is why I

> recognised her (and she had the dog with her)

>

> The dog is actually a brindle staffie. I was

> walking my dogs and she warned me to keep away as

> her dog was not good with other dogs....

>

> She obviously lives somewhere close by so you

> might get some more information from either the

> off licence (about to become a Costcutter) or the

> chemist. I have seen her going into both - and

> leaving the dog tied up outside.

>

> Hope that helps

Thanks, I will keep a look out.

[lbsmith73]

I have spoken to the owner of the dog, she has given me her name and address which I will forward to relevant authorities. She still maintains that she is only trying to look after a dog that she found. I expressed my concerns about the danger her dog poses, she still ties it up outside the shops on Forest Hill Rd with no muzzle so be careful!

smith73 Wrote:

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

> Lollipop Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Hello - I saw her going into the chemists near

> > Potager this evening and realised I had seen

> her

> > before in the same place. Today she was wearing

> > the jacket in your photo, which is why I

> > recognised her (and she had the dog with her)

> >

> > The dog is actually a brindle staffie. I was

> > walking my dogs and she warned me to keep away

> as

> > her dog was not good with other dogs....

> >

> > She obviously lives somewhere close by so you

> > might get some more information from either the

> > off licence (about to become a Costcutter) or

> the

> > chemist. I have seen her going into both - and

> > leaving the dog tied up outside.

> >

> > Hope that helps

> Thanks, I will keep a look out.

[bonniebird]

Why on earth don't people with agressive dogs just use a muzzle? It not only protects other dogs, but the agressive dog too! It beggars beleif and its not rocket science is it?

[curlylocks]

Some similarities with this thread. Wonder whether it's the same dog?http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,1815284

Apologies if you have already looked into.