Viscious Dogs - what are the laws?

[seanmlow]

A friend of mine was walking along LL when a really nasty dog attempted to attack her.

Luckily the owners got to it in time (they were window shopping). It looked like one of the breeds that you see on the new constantly.

Are they meant to wear something to cover their jaws when they go out?

She was really shaken up!

[Mark]

Viscious Dogs, hmmm, that's a almost a sticky one ;-)

There's some info on the dangerous dogs act here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dangerous_Dogs_Act_1991

[edited once]

[SeanMacGabhann]

oooh dear indeed ;-)

Seanmlow - same has happened to me in the past but I consoled myself with the fact that "it's not the dogs fault, but the owners." Apparently. That made the bite sooo much less painful

[boosboss]

Defra

[seanmlow]

Yeah SeanMac I know what you mean. I have grown up with dogs myself so they don't bother me, but I have to be honest, some looks really nasty and I even walk on the other side of the road if I see them acting funny.

I also think that if you have your own dog, and thus smell a little of him/her, this can attract the wrong kind of attention!

[SteveT]

I have been attacked and it has left me nervous of dangerous and boisterous dogs.

I never go to any park without a walking stick because I feel too vulnerable without one.

The owners should be castrated so they cannot breed, in my opinion.

[Guest]

I was walking along by the river to work once and was bitten on the leg by a terrier on a lead. The man holding it shouted at me that I must have looked at the dog the wrong way!

[SteveT]

These owners get a 'hard on' being in charge of a dangerous animal. The arrogance of the man accusing you of inflaming his blessed dog, damned sauce!

A couple of weeks ago I went for a walk around Hampstead Heath about 7.30am with an ex colleague, and this large poodle was let off it's lead, it came bounding straight at us snarling and growling it did not attack us, but it was certainly unnerving enough to set my heart racing.

The guy I was with turned back and marched towards the owner so I called him off else he might have given the owner a slap.

Shouldn't all dogs be muzzled when in public?