Tuesday 24 September 2013

Is There A Less Appropriate Pet?

Sandra and Hollie said the greyhounds were being walked past their house in Deerleap Way in New Milton with the owner on a mobility scooter.
Hollie said: “I tried to get them off and did everything I could. We didn’t expect those dogs to take our little baby. It could happen to a child.”
Yes, yes, I know. It’s that phrase again. And once again, an irresponsible owner has resulted in the loss of a beloved family pet without facing any real sanction whatsover:
Hampshire police interviewed a 66-year-old New Milton man under caution and he has been summoned to appear at court under Section 2 of the 1871 Dogs Act.
Under this arrangement the man has not been arrested and has not faced any charges.
The dog owner has voluntarily signed a Dog Behaviour Contract to keep his dogs under control and muzzled when they are out in public.
But the real question comes not from any of the authorities, but from the comment section. And it’s a pretty good one:
The Wickham Man says...
I read this in another paper last week. The owner apparently motored on towing the dogs behind him which makes me wonder whether he has ever bothered to stop and clear up their mess or whether (like other mobility scooter dog owners I've seen) he just keeps looking straight ahead and drives on. If they publish his address I hope the residents of New Milton take it in turns to push some of it through his letter box. He deserves it.
If they do, of course, it’ll no doubt go on that big list of ‘disability hate crimes’ that the activists like to wave as a sign that the public attitude towards the disabled is changing for the worse…

8 comments:

Rickie said...

Greyhounds are ideal pets as they don't need much excercise and are very laidback and friendly, as all greyhound owners will tell you.

The problem is motorised scooter types who treat their scooters as some kind of themed floats with flags, daft signs, silly hats with one hand in the air waving at everyone whilst driving in the middle of the road as if they are an attraction at Alton Towers, this one sounds like he had a santa sledge with 2 reindeer in tow.

Problem owner but definitely not problem pets

Budvar said...

Sorry Joolz, but people with a thing for dogshit without exception are a classic case of why "Care in the community" doesn't work, and invariably in need of psychiatric help.

Anyone would think that it was only dogs that crapped anywhere, but here's a heads up, there's a whole vista of fauna crapping all over Gods green Earth.
From one celled amoebas right up to beasts that regularly tip the scales at over 2 tonnes like cattle and cart horses, and a plethora of things in between.

On my travels along the highways and byways, I see more horse crap than anything, and over the moors you cant move for sheep shit. Yet I never see (Or hear for that matter) anyone highlighting with either chalk or spray paint any little parcels left by these animals and little notes (Also in chalk or spray paint of "Dirty" and "Filthy dog owner".

I wonder if the "Scatophobic" Wickham man also advocates shovelling horse crap through the letterboxes of Sebastian and Lucretia, the champions down the local gymkhana or Farmer Giles' what with his herd of prize winning Herefords? I suspect not.

He's also likely to not notice the stench of his house from where his tom cat takes great delight in pissing behind the wardrobe, on the couch, over the kitchen worktops, the headboard of his bed and the living room carpet.

Anonymouslemming said...

@Budvar

The health and disease impact of dung is far higher than of scat. Horses and sheep produce excrement that is largely safe to handle. Dogs on the other hand can spread disease through their feces.

I regularly have to walk into the long grass at Thames Barrier park to clean up after my dog - that's a choice I made when I got a dog. Where I walk her, I have to clean up after her, no matter how inconvenient it is.

Anonymouslemming said...

Grr - that comment should have said health risks from scat are higher than from dung.

Dumb me :(

The Jannie said...

@Budvar

We tried Herefords but could never get them to sit, stay and fetch. You seem to ignore the difference that exists between farm animals in their place and pets in our place. Pet owners are simply being expected to clear up after their four-legged friends so the rest of us aren't walking the minefield. Before you accuse me of being some kind of dogophobe, I would point out that until recently we hadn't been without a dog for the past thirty years and we cleared up after them without being pressured into doing so.

Furor Teutonicus said...

xX From one celled amoebas right up to beasts that regularly tip the scales at over 2 tonnes like cattle and cart horses, and a plethora of things in between.XX

They may be. But the bastards are not shitting on my fucking door step.

John Punshon said...

Julia please go back to the old heading!

JuliaM said...

"Greyhounds are ideal pets as they don't need much excercise and are very laidback and friendly..."

And also known to chase and kill smaller creatures. Which is hard to prevent if you're immobile.

"...people with a thing for dogshit without exception are a classic case of why "Care in the community" doesn't work..."

I agree some can become obsessive ( APILN often features them!), but they have a good point.

Apart from the antisocial aspect, there's a serious risk of disease.

"We tried Herefords but could never get them to sit, stay and fetch. "

:D

"They may be. But the bastards are not shitting on my fucking door step."

Spot on!

"Julia please go back to the old heading!"

It's fixed (sort of)!