Dog savaged in Springfield Park dies

How awful! I feel so sad for the owner, there is no excuse. I own a staffy and he is a lovely, calm and friendly dog who loves people, children and is good with other dogs. Unfortunately, he too has been attacked by another staffy who was off the lead (mine was on a lead) and so he was pretty much defenseless, he was bitten, but not badly hurt.

Only last week, a large dog jumped their garden fence and ran straight across the road to attack him (again he was on the lead) I fell whilst trying to fend it off but it still kept lunging at him, ultimately it ended up with my dog slipping his collar and running off in a blind panic down the middle of the road with the other dog in hot pursuit, cars having to stop for them (could have caused an accident). The owner caught up with his dog and said "sorry about that, he's only just started jumping the fence recently".....well, if he knew that, why wasn't it tethered?

I personally would be happy to see ALL dogs kept on a lead, there are far too many irresponsible dog owners out there and this lovely dog has paid the ultimate price.

Agree poor little dog, and owner. Hope they find the dogs and get them re-homed with a proper owner, who can look after them properly-not the dogs' fault they were poorly looked after. The owner of the dogs and or whoever was responsible for allowing the dogs to attack the small dog, should be charged and prosecuted to the full extent of the law, for what ever it comes under.

Yes all dogs should be on a lead when out and about, and it's up to owners to make sure their dogs can't attack people or other animals, including making sure they can't escape their own gardens etc.

A regular dogwalker in Springfield park says she saw the owner with the two killer staffies, off lead, in the park a day or so after killing Pharaoh the Westie.

Enquiries continue.
http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/74807/dog-killing-enquiries-continuing

All canines have a propensity to attack, fight and occasionaly kill. It's part of their nature, especially moreso if in pack form (two or more). Sheep worrying by packs is often for 'sport' rather than some ancient desire to kill for food. Other dogs are seen as a threat towards what the dog itself sees as it's own territory. That can extend beyond what we would consider any reasonable confine i.e. garden walls or fences etc. Therefore the law requires all dogs to be under control at all times. The onus is on the owner of the canine/s. Should the owner of the unfortunate Westie wish she/he is at liberty to have the owner of the dogs charged and make a claim of compensation. It is to hoped that the Westie was on a lead at the time otherwise the defendant could claim provacation and mitigate his/her own and the animals actions.

Well, I have just got back home after taking my dog out for a walk where unfortunately, I got a repeat scenario of what happened to us a couple of weeks ago when a dog jumped a garden fence and attacked my dog who was on the lead.

This time it was a large staffie that ran down the garden jumping a wall topped with metal railings to get at my placid staffie. I hollered at it at the top of my voice (out of fear and panic) and it backed off but came back twice more to have a go. No sign of the owners even though I knew they were in the house as I had heard them yell at it as it barked when passing the garden. A chap in a car stopped to ask if I was ok and another guy pointed out to me where the dog lived (well, I knew where it lived but still, no sign of the owners).

I was too frightened to check the house number so I could report it to the police but, yet another example of a dog not kept under control, i'm fuming.....and still shaking.

Sorry to hear all that Poppy. It's such a problem, there are other similar and worse dog attacks in the news just this week. There will have to be something done about it.

Thank you Cyfrifia, it was frightening! I don't blame the dog I blame the owners, why allow them the run of the garden if they are bolting over the fencing to attack other dogs? the least they could do is to keep them confined to the back garden where people aren't passing. My dog is friendly and placid, certainly not a fighter but my garden is securely fenced on all sides, no way can he escape....it's not rocket science.

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1597074_neighbour-armed-with-vacuum-cleaner-comes-to-rescue-as-scooter-boy-is-savaged-by-dog-in-droylsden

The owners of dogs that attack should be fined at least enough to cover the medical costs of treating the victim.

Had the owner of this animal exacted these injuries on the boy he would now be facing a charge of attempted murder or GBH at the least. The mere fact his dog (and I don't know the full facts) did this damage places the onus on the dog which I have no doubt was destroyed immediately thereafter. Perhaps if the law was changed to that of 'life endangerment by proxy' dog owners, that is the less responsible ones, might make greater efforts to keep their animals under proper control and away from the general public. Fines are a joke. It's the owners who must suffer more for the message to get through. The dogs already suffer too much as it is. Angry doesn't cover it. I'd flog them - given half a chance.

The lady dog owner in this news story about her spaniel being mauled by another dog took photos of what happened and has asked that the photos be shared to raise awareness and identify the owner.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2294597/Dog-owner-took-pictures-King-Charles-Spaniel-mauled-pitbull-posted-Facebook-bid-catch-attackers-owners.html

Click links for upsetting photos.

http://sphotos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/208650_10200823031953883_1337462283_n.jpg

http://sphotos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/383978_10200813964847211_483520053_n.jpg

http://sphotos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/625408_10200813964007190_435061089_n.jpg

http://sphotos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/542709_10200813812083392_1884197035_n.jpg

http://sphotos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/602145_10200813960807110_57581997_n.jpg

Yes, that was my thought as well, Charly, but apparently it went on for a long time, so I quite admire the presence of mind of the lady owner, and if it does something to help change attitudes and laws about 'weapon' dogs and dogs trained to fight, all to the good.

Don't worry, he won't.

OK I won't. But.

When people can't take their dog for an afternoon walk without it being torn to pieces in front of them, which does happen, and the problem is still getting worse, it deserves a mention. However, yes, it's only one of a lot of other things that needs sorting out.

Since the lady, obviously very upset, did react by taking photos at the time, it seems a good thing they should be splattered over the internet for a day. She was quite brave to take the photos, as the dangerous dog owner, who gave a false name, could easily have turned nasty, as they sometimes do.

I've said it before and I will say it again, all dogs should be kept on a lead, mine is......end of!

Poppyanna555 wrote:I've said it before and I will say it again, all dogs should be kept on a lead, mine is......end of!

I agree, mine is. Other dogs iff lead are a nuisance, not usually nasty although it has happeened on more than one occasion.

Met a clown yesterday with a large dog off the lead, the owner made no attempt to put him on one and so, as the dog approached I asked him "would you just get hold of your dog please"? his reply, "oh, he's ok" and let him continue to harass my dog.....darned idiot, why should my dog be intimidated by a large dog standing over him sniffing etc, he couldn't know how my dog would react and didn't care. Same thing happened last week with a Doberman and the owner said "he's just a puppy", well, this large puppy circled and bothered my dog for minutes whilst the owner looked on, by this time my dog had had enough and started to growl, still he looked on. It took a stranger who was passing to say to the guy "c'mon man, get your dog on it's lead"....I'm getting sick of these encounters and, in the end, it will always be the dog that loses out by having such irresponsible owners.

I think castration is the answer. And the dog as well!

Indeed Salty!

I remember as a young lad when I first started in engineering and being provided with my first working steel toe capped working boots.

I was on my way home near where I lived at the time there use to be a large dog that use to come out near the front of the house and barking at people and trying to bite members of the public legs or feet.

As I was passing this dog came out and and tried to bite me. So I gave it one big kick and caught the head of the dog against a concrete step outside the house. The dog gave one mighty yelp and ran off with blood dripping from the dogs mouth. The owner came out but was warned by a neighbour not to touch me . Anyway the dog was treated at a vets if I remember correctly and not badly injured. Nothing further happened.

The good side was every time I came home from work the dog kept well out of my way when I had my boots on.

People should keep their dogs on a lead and no excuse for the dog attacks. Owners who cannot keep their dogs under control should not keep them.

teamplayer2 wrote: Owners who cannot keep their dogs under control should not keep them.

Some owners delude themselves that they can control their dog. Others know they can't but don't care. Sometimes you see children or teenagers being dragged around by huge dogs they have been given to 'take for a walk'.