Dog (on dog) attack in Peckham Rye Park today - 16.40 (23/3/2012)

[bowwowmiaow]

So very sorry to hear this terribly sad news. Please inform the park warden, Southwark dog warden, the RSPCA and the police. A record of the incident is vital for their records for now and the future. Lisa x

[Fuschia]

Oh trish

How awful

[lilly123]

morph was one of my dog gypsie puppys a few years back, he was sweet and so tiny sweet thing, rip morph.you will always be remebered xx

[bonniebird]

:'( so very sad xxx

[lilly123]

i dont care what dog people own, but the law should be made for every dog that is out in public to be muzzled, forget about having a dog licence, a licence will not stop a dog attacking a child,human or another animal.

[zeban]

This is absolutely awful, I can`t believe it. I`m so so sorry. RIP Morph :'(

[aquarius moon]

So sorry to hear about this.

I only ever walk my small dogs on leads round the pavements, as I'm too scared to take them to parks/open

spaces where bigger dogs (mainly staffs nowadays) run loose.

Really sad for you

and sad also, that it's not safe to take small dogs for a walk anymore.

:'(

[dimples]

im so so sorry to hear this awful news ,

my heart goes out to you ,

all our love sarah and kizzey x

[Pam50]

A terrifying experience; so sorry for you all. I walk through the park most days with my young grandaughters on the way to school and we are constantly on guard with so many dogs off the lead. They look friendly and most have responsible owners in charge, but as today's incident proves, they are wild animals and we really have no way of anticipating their behaviour. In public places, dogs should be on leads, with perhaps one clearly signposted and gated section of the park where they could run freely with their owners in supervision.

[Dorothy]

Oh fuzzyboots! what a terrible thing to happen to you all and rip little Morph - he sounds an absolute treasure. Please pass on everyone's condolences and good wishes to Morph's owner. I can't begin to say how shocked I am that the police will not/are powerless to act if it is a dog on dog attack. That seems completely wrong, especially when the attack turns out to be fatal.

[fuzzyboots]

Hello everyone, I'm with Dara, Morph's mum, right now and she has been reading your kind messages of condolence and support.

Dara would like to thank you all for your comments, sympathy and kind thoughts. It is very sweet of you.

Trish

[tiddles]

what a dreadful thing to happen - just too awful, and in front of a six year old child. How on earth can an adult be so oblivious to what is going on - and this is the rub, it is the dozy owners, not the dog.

In the heat of this, I am afraid I must disagree with you lilly123 with regards to all dogs being muzzled (and some have mentioned on leads in parks). I regularly walk a dog (actually a puppy)in dulwich and peckham. All the dog owners I have come across have been considerate and kind. the few times somebody's dog has been less than friendly they have been hugely apologetic for any bad manners (and this is a grumpy growl not a full blown attack). There is always some plonker who has no idea of how to treat/train an animal or behave in a considerate way to their fellow park users = dog walkers or not.

I do feel that perhaps licences should be brought back - at least a way of tracking who has a dog. If you walk your dog, you have to carry your dog licence - signed by your vet (or other approved body) it seems nuts that this dog had attacked before but the powers that be could do nothing.

What I feel is that yes there needs to be something done, but please don't punish all the responsible owners and their well behaved dogs.

[Ron&Tom]

This is horrific. I am so sorry to hear the outcome for poor litte Morph and your loss Dara and Fuzzyboots. Can I just get this clear that nothing can be done about these dogs and their owner until a human is attacked, is that right??

[Pam50]

Dogs Act 1871

It is a civil offence if a dog is dangerous (to people or animals) and not kept under proper control (generally regarded as not on a lead nor muzzled). This law can apply wherever the incident happened. The dog can be subject to a control or a destruction order and you may have to pay costs.

[bonniebird]

You'll be lucky if anything is done, a few local dogs have been attacked in the past and the police have done nothing, one of them was a Scottie (one of my clients, I'm a groomer) he was attacked by 2 Pitbulls, nothing was done until the same 2 dogs attacked a Jack Russell and the owner was bitten in the process, then the police interviewed the Scotties owner, can't remember the outcome :-$ a friends Doberman was attacked on the common by a dog belonging to the Fairground people a few years back, he had a bad injury but don't think anything was done then either. Its all wrong :(

[tiddles]

so, if your dog is attacked, stick your hand in?

If my dog was set upon i would have no hesitation in wading in and probably getting bitten in the process.

the law is bonkers

as in the case of the police officers attacked, the neighbours knew there was a problem dog but there seemed no power able to act.

[deborah.bruce]

my friends dog was attacked about 2 weeks ago on Peckham Rye by a dog with an owner exactly fitting these descriptions. Her dog was very traumatised and had a stroke the following day. My friend reported the attack to the park warden and the police.

[KidKruger]

My God. You walk in the park with your dog and it gets killed by another dog ?

[Roy of the Rye]

I am so sorry. Poor Morph.

[pincushionqueen]

This is just so awful. I hope something is done about this vile dog owner soon. RIP Morph :(

[PaulK]

How very very horrible for you fuzzyboots. My girlfriends dog was attacked by the same dog a couple of years ago in the same place. Fortunately she survived and it cost her a lot of money at the vets. She has never let her dog off the lead since, as a direct consequence of this attack. Regarding the Staffordshire dog owner, Peckham Rye attracts Scum more frequently than Dulwich Park so I would avoid wherever possible.

[JohnL]

I think Civil offense means you have to go to a lawyer. Police won't help.

Pam50 Wrote:

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

> Dogs Act 1871

>

> It is a civil offence if a dog is dangerous (to

> people or animals) and not kept under proper

> control (generally regarded as not on a lead nor

> muzzled). This law can apply wherever the incident

> happened. The dog can be subject to a control or a

> destruction order and you may have to pay costs.

[Huggers]

what a terrible, frightening and sad thing to happen. I walk my dog on Peckham Rye and stay far away from any dog that looks like its running out of its owners control orbit. Can you say what time of day this happened- walkers are pretty regular so it may narrow it down to find this person. Big commiserations.

[first mate]

This is awful, I am so sorry for the owners, the little boy and the dog.

People need to be aware that many different types of dog can have a strong prey drive and, unfortunately, some staffy types have it within them to view small dogs as prey. The fact that 'Blue' was shaking the poor dog that died indicates this. Owners of these types of dog need to be particularly vigilant and UNDERSTAND the drives and motivations of the breeds they choose to own and take the necessary precautions.

The owner of 'Blue' sounds utterly irresponsible and, in my view should not be allowed to own a dog at all. The fact that this dog has performed this action once means it is almost certain to do it again.

We all need to be vigilant and report this person if he is seen out with the dog immediately. A dog like this cannot be let of lead around other dogs and my concern would be that the owner not only lets it off in the park but walks it offlead on the streets. There is the additional concern that if someone tried to intervene in an attack on their dog they might also end up badly injured.

[first mate]

Sorry, having read this thread properly it sounds as though 'Blue' has been attacking other people's dogs for a number of years and has now progressed to killing. Surely it would be worth collating all of the evidence, with witness statements and seeing if some kind of civil action can be launched against the owner- otherwise he is just going to carry on. He clearly knows what his dog is capable of doing.