Helping Others At The Expense Of Our Own Citizens

When the quake in Indonesia struck, the UK (as usual) was at the forefront of international aid:

Two Essex MPs have called for changes to quarantine laws after a search and rescue dog was locked up on its return from an earthquake zone.

Darcy, who could find survivors in the aftermath of a UK terrorist attack, was impounded for six months on Thursday after returning from Indonesia.

Wait, what…?

She is the only search and rescue dog with Essex fire service.

So if a rescue dog is needed in Essex tomorrow, tough luck!

Colchester MP Bob Russell and Angela Smith, MP for Basildon, have called on the government to review the law.

Mr Russell has tabled a motion calling for rescue dogs to be exempt from "antiquated" quarantine laws, while Ms Smith has promised to take up Darcy's case with Defra, the Government department responsible for quarantine laws.

Good luck with that, but this shouldn’t have arisen…

Chief Fire Officer for Essex, David Johnson, said Darcy would be able to put the same skills to use in the aftermath of any terrorist attack in the UK.

"The Government invested hundreds of thousands of pounds in creating a search and rescue capability in Essex to serve the region if terrorists attack.

"But at the same time they let a vital part of this resource be locked away for six months."

Questions could be asked, Mr Johnson, why (knowing this) you agreed to send a UK resource out of the country in the first place?

I’m all for compassion but it should never, ever be at the expense of our own needs.

And it’s not just one dog affected:

One other UK rescue dog, one of two available to the fire service in Kent, is also in quarantine following its return from Indonesia.

So now the nearest county to Essex has had its resources halved?

This is utter madness.

Darcy has been inoculated against rabies, and received a booster immediately before she left for Indonesia, he added.

"Dogs can also be tested for the disease so there is no danger that she could possibly be bringing rabies back to the UK," he said.

Is this another piece of Euro madness, then?

Oh, no. This one’s uniquely English:

A spokesman for Essex Fire and Rescue Service said no other European countries impose quarantine on their rescue dogs.

Then why not say ‘We’ll sit the next one out, thanks’ and let Europe pick up the slack..?

Why Be A Strong, Confident, Modern Woman..?

It seems that acting the helpless female when you’re in the brown sticky stuff still gets you further…

“I said to them ‘please help me - I don’t know what to do. I’m trying to get my dog’. I actually begged them for help.

“Throughout the incident they were bawling at me ‘woman: control your dog!’”

Well, yes. It was injuring their police horses! What did you expect?

Ms Butterfield, who has put her legal career on hold to work as a live-in carer for a male psychiatric patient (Ed: !!!), said her dog ended up with hoof marks “all the way down the left-hand side of his body” as well as bruises and damage to his paws.

Pity they didn’t kick his brains out through his arsehole. But they are too well trained for that.

The magistrates are pretty well trained too, when it comes to leniency…

Clearing Ms Butterfield of allowing her dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place and owning a dangerous dog, Magistrate Maureen Anderson said: “We have read an expert’s report that your dog is not dangerous.

“We believe you did as much as you could under the circumstances that you could have.

“We find that the dog was not dangerously out of control.

“We are satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the case has not been made out and that you are not guilty. ”

Oh, really?

Following the ruling Brahim Elyoubi, 40, Ms Butterfield's former housemate, said that Louis was a rescue dog, given to Ms Butterfield by her parents.

He said: "Elena was really upset about the incident because she had done such good work with the dog.

"It was a rescue dog which had been trained for fights.

"At first the dog was very wary and not friendly towards me but within a few weeks I was walking him in the park."

What sort of family obtains a dog of dodgy background & passes it on to their terminally-clueless offspring?

H/T: wiggia via email

It's Not Just The Dog Who's Crackers...

The abandoned dog, called Crackers, had been brutally attacked by a previous owner who had beaten him about the head with a metal pole.

The dog carried out the attacks in Malvern just 12 hours after being adopted by the couple where it was hoped he would go on to live out a better, happier life. Although the dog will not be destroyed, he will now have to spend the rest of his life in a rescue centre to protect the public and must be muzzled and kept on a lead at all times if he goes outdoors.

Wait, what..? Why on earth wouldn't this thing be disposed of immediately?

The rescue dog, previously known as Kaiser (but renamed by the couple), had been in their possession just 12 hours when he bit Geraldine Price on the hand in Duke of Edinburgh Way in Malvern on March 15 this year.

The dog, which the couple adopted from Birch Hill kennels in Worcester, bit John Southall later the same day at Malvern Retail Park, the couple claiming they had been at the shops to buy a muzzle after the first attack.

/facepalm 

By chance the two victims met in A&E at Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester where they were both receiving treatment. When they began a conversation they 'both realised they had both been bitten by the same dog'.

You couldn't make it up, could you? 

The dog, which had been described as ‘nervous’ by the kennels which rehomed him, had given instructions that the animal was to be properly managed and should have a harness and sign to say he was a nervous dog.

“It seems that had not been done” said the prosecutor.

Ya think?!? 

In interview Prangley claimed the victim of the first attack had been ‘flicking keys which had scared the dog’. She said she had not been fully informed about the dog’s temperament.

Well, of course she did... 

Mark Sheward, defending, said the couple had never been told the dog should be kept on a muzzle. He said of the kennels: “It would seem they are seeking to minimise their responsibility in allowing their dog out when they had concerns about it themselves.”

Wouldn't the sensible thing to do be put down any large, powerful dog who shows signs of a poor temperament? 

Magistrates ordered Prangley to pay £150 in compensation to Miss Price. Hiles was ordered to pay £150 to Mr Southall. The pair were disqualified from keeping dogs for two years.

And presumably the kennels get off scot free? 

So, Leads Are The Answer, Eh?

Yes, it’s the perennial cry of the comment-column and letter-page denizens of all local newspaper stories about dog attacks. If only we have laws demanding all dogs were leashed in public, all would be well.

Well…

A pensioner has told of his horror after being dragged to the floor by a dog while trying to save his puppy from its jaws. Barry Craig, 67, of Diana Close, Alverstoke was walking his five-month-old pedigree puppy at Queens Parade shops, off Privett Road, when another dog, which he believes was a Staffordshire bull terrier cross, attacked.

They were both on leads. Little good it did.

A police spokesperson said that as the other dog was on a lead, no further action will be taken by police.

If it had launched itself at a police dog, I wonder if they’d have taken the same view?

Mr Craig is unhappy that the other owner could do little to stop the attack. He said: ‘What’s the point of having a dog on a lead if you can’t control it?’

Well, indeed…

Meanwhile, in Chesterfield:

A woman was knocked out when she fell from a panic-stricken horse being attacked by a dog, Chesterfield magistrates heard.

What sort of dog? Ah. Well…

. Elizabeth Christian was riding along a bridlepath at Broadmeadows, South Normanton on June 16 when the horse panicked as a Staffordshire bull terrier-labrador cross, ignored calls from its owner and snapped at the horse…The horse suffered puncture wounds and bites. Clarke, 36, told police the 18-month-old rescue dog had slipped its lead.

/facepalm

Here, police weren't so reluctant to put the case before a magistrate, for which they should be praised, though it did little good:

JPs decided not to have the dog destroyed, but ordered it must be kept muzzled and on a lead in public areas for two years…The dog control order was applied to both Clarke and his wife, Terri-Marie Clarke, after Mr Bloore said the couple had separated since the incident and the dog lived with her.

Unless she’s built like Fatima Whitbred, how is she any more likely to be able to control it?

And what do these incidents both have in common? Powerful dogs with unsuitable temperaments and incompetent owners, on leads that proved totally ineffective as a result.

So slapping total blanket legislation on all dog owners is unlikely to be the answer. But I’ll bet it’s the one that’s eventually put in place!

Why Should The UK Taxpayer Be On The Hook?

A woman has described the moment her dog tried to kill her in her own home, leaving her with horrific injuries more akin to a "shark attack".

Her own dog, eh? 

Caroline Fisher, 48, had only just returned to her home in Blackpool, Lancashire, when her Bulgarian rescue dog Metcho turned on her on Thursday June 9.

The 5ft6 Karakachan, which weighs a whopping 12st 8lb, ripped the back off her right arm and mauled her left leg so badly her tendons were left exposed as she battled to escape with her life.

/facepalm 

The carer who lives with her brother Richard said Metcho had only ever been aggressive towards another dog once before and never expected that he could turn on her.

Ah, the old 'He's never done that (to me) before' again...  

A passing neighbour came to her aid and Caroline was rushed to hospital, where she remains awaiting multiple skin and muscle graft surgeries. But her family have slammed Lancashire Police, who they claim didn’t respond to the dangerous emergency for three days.

Wait, what..? 

...her brother, Richard, said: “All they were bothered about was that the dog was in the house.

“They said it wasn’t a priority.

“I had the dog in the back garden but I was worried that he would escape over the fence. 

“The dog warden said the only time they would come out is if social services called them out, they said they don’t come out to a dangerous dog like that for their own health and safety.

“The police finally rang back on Sunday afternoon and said we have seen your sister, we know how bad the attack is, we are going to get the ball rolling.

“The copper that came was actually really good to be fair, he said ‘I can’t believe it has taken this long’

“But they tried to charge me £1,200 to get the dog put down and they asked me if I could get rid of the body.

“I said ‘how am I meant to do that, it’s not a case of just digging a hole in your garden, how am I meant to get rid of an 80kg dog that’s basically just eaten my sister?’”

You pay the vet what he asks to cremate the thing and thank your lucky stars you aren't paying a hell of a lot more for your sister's funeral! 

The dog was finally put down on Sunday evening after three days of Richard being forced to stay upstairs and eat out every night while keeping Metcho locked in the kitchen.

Serves him right! 

Now the family have launched a GoFundMe to help Caroline financially as she will only receive two weeks paid sick leave despite doctors being unable to predict how long she will be hospitalised.

Richard said: “It was like some of them didn’t have a clue some, sounded like they weren’t bothered, the RSPCA just said we’re a charity we don’t deal with this.”

Lancashire Police confirmed that they have since requested that the vet bill for Metcho to be destroyed is invoiced to them and not Caroline's family.

What?! Why should the taxpayer foot the bill for what was a totally self-inflicted incident? Why should strangers pay for this stupid woman's injuries caused as a result of her own stupidity?  

Lazy, Incompetent, Box-Ticking Public Sector, Part II

Dog owners have been sent warning letters telling them their pets should behave around posties. But the letters from Royal Mail to residents in Bradwell left springer spaniel owner Collin Rossini bemused, as he said his dog, Cello, was not aggressive.

A mix-up, then? The Royal Mail delivered the letter to the wrong address (perish the thought!)?

Well, not exactly:

The letter, from delivery manager Richard Burton, which is believed to have been sent to several homes, said: “While we’ve been delivering your post, we’ve become aware of an animal at your property and I wanted to take this opportunity to contact you about how we can work together to safeguard our employees from any potential threat posed by us entering your property whilst delivering the mail.”

It said animals roaming free, jumping up at people, snapping or behaving aggressively behind letterboxes and baring their teeth could raise concern. Mr Burton suggested dogs were restrained or mail delivered to an “alternative place” away from their usual surroundings.

The letter finished by saying most dogs did not cause a problem but, nationally, posties suffered about 4,000 dog-related injuries a year.

I’m guessing the get-out clause of ‘an animal’ is to cover cats too?

But it seems very general, not related to any incident. What gives?

Royal Mail was asked to comment if the letters had been sent anywhere else in the area, but did not respond.

Probably didn’t know whether they had or not!

But it seems that, once again, this was not targeted at areas with known issues, but a blanket ‘all known dog residences’ letter:

Mr Rossini, of Coggeshall Road, said: “It is so reflective of the times. Instead of dealing with the owner of the dangerous dog that is causing the problem, you get a blanket letter like a state dictat. Our rescue dog hasn’t been a moment’s trouble.”

Well, quite. And it’s not just Essex:

An animal lover has expressed outrage after receiving a letter from Royal Mail warning her about her dog’s behaviour – eight weeks after her pet died.

The letter, received by Denise Parkin, was one of 600 letters sent to homes across Darlington, following a spate of attacks on postmen and women in the town.

At least here, they managed to find someone who could string two sentences together, even if they were form-letter PR rubbish:

A spokeswoman for Royal Mail said: “The safety of our employees is of paramount importance.

“Unfortunately, dog attacks are a hazard faced by our postmen and women every working day.

“In Darlington, there have been nine dog attacks in the past year and a further four attacks in the past three months.

“These attacks cause great distress and, in too many cases, serious injuries. “We are sorry to hear of Mrs Parkin’s recent bereavement and apologise for any distress caused by receiving this letter.

“The letter is simply to raise awareness about the issues our people experience with regard to dog attacks and to work with our customers on this matter.

“Unfortunately, we were unaware of the change in circumstances in this case.”

Because it’s just too hard to take this action in those cases where dogs are a nuisance and so Mrs Miggins’ arthritic Peke gets the same letter as Stabby McChav’s alligator-cross pitbull.

Why is this blanket, tickbox action tolerated with the public sector?

Because You're The Real Victim...

A pet owner told a jury how she couldn't breath (sic) after her dog clamped its jaws around another in an attack she described as “awful”.

Leeds Crown Court heard that spaniel Ted was left “with its belly and intestines hanging out”.

Injuries that were unsurvivable. The spaniel's owner, a 16 year old girl who had stopped to ask Breen if she was OK after seeing her slip over, was distraught as she recounted the details in court...

Clare Breen said she was walking Mastiff-Labrador cross Jerry and another dog, Becky, in Lund Park, Keighley, on July 29, 2012, when she said she fell and Becky slipped from her collar.

Breen said: “She (Becky) was bounding about and wanted to play. She was sort of lolloping about a bit sort of around me and wanting me to chase her.”

Defending, Michael Collis asked what was the reaction of Ted’s owner, 16-year-old Lucinda McGrath, who was nearby. “She was making alarming noises. Screaming, but not loudly in terror, but just screaming, screeching and kicking out towards Becky,” Breen said.

Hardly surprising...

Miss McGrath alleges that Becky, a white American Bulldog, bit her hand. Breen said she was tying Jerry to a bin, so she was free to control Becky, when he lunged and bit Ted. She said Jerry was usually a “sofa potato.”

Ah, yes. That old familiar 'He's never done that before!'..

After the attack Breen, who has fostered rescue dogs for seven years, went to find Miss McGrath’s father. “I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t stop shaking or crying. The whole shock of everything had knocked me sidewards,” said Breen, of Malsis Crescent, Keighley.

Really? Imagine how the 16 year old who'd seen her beloved pet torn apart in front of her felt...

Miss McGrath’s mother, Andrea McInerny, told the court she heard Breen talking to her partner. “I just heard a woman’s voice say, ‘my dogs attacked your dog,”

Mrs McInerny said. Under cross-examination Mr Collis said Mrs McInerny could not be sure Breen meant ‘my dogs attacked your dog’, meaning more than one dog, or if she meant ‘dog’s’ as an abbreviation of ‘dog has.’

Breen admitted she told the family she would have both dogs put down, because she wanted to put things right, but yesterday told the court that Becky had done nothing wrong.

Apart from be beyond your control?

She was accused of lying in order to protect Becky, who she had owned for several years longer than Jerry. Prosecuting, Louise Azmi said: “I suggest you’re shifting blame from one dog to another.”

Breen replied: “They’re both my dogs. It’s like having two children and saying you love one more than the other because one’s older and you’ve had it longer.”

*speechless*

She said she took full responsibility for what Jerry had done.

Breen denies being the owner of a dog which caused injury while dangerously out of control. The trial continues.

Not any more:

An American bulldog did not bite a teenage girl’s hand during a dog attack in a park, a jury has ruled.

The night of the attack, Breen sent Jerry back to the rescue home she had got him from five months earlier and Becky stayed with her.

So she failed to have EITHER dog put down, as she promised?

Becky was removed by West Yorkshire Police four days after the attack, the court heard, to test her breed after there were suggestions the dogs may be pit bull terriers. The dogs have not been returned.

Judge Scott Wolstenholme said to the jury: “You’ve got pictures (of the dogs) and they are not pit bulls. This case is not about pit bulls which are dangerous dogs and banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act.” 

Breen was found not guilty, but a lesser charge, of being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control in a public place, was put to Breen regarding Jerry’s attack on Ted.

Judge Wolstenholme sat as a District Judge to take the guilty plea. The crime is usually dealt with by magistrates. Breen, of Malsis Crescent, Keighley, will be sentenced for that charge on Monday at Leeds Crown Court.

I hope she dresses for the occasion...

Maybe if she loses, she plans to claim discrimination on 'special victim' grounds?

A Likely Story!

A dad who strangled his pet dog to death and dumped the body in a wheelie bin has been cleared of animal cruelty.

Wh..? How can this be? you ask.

Well, turn the lamps down low, set a roaring fire in the hearth, and hearken to a thrilling tale of a man's desperate battle for survival against the untamed savagery of...a year-old Staffordshire terrier?

Bolton, who is a full-time carer for his wife, told the court it was the only humane method of killing available at the time. He said: "She was ferocious, jumping up and lunging at my face and throat, and snapping at my hands and wrists. She was foaming at the mouth and baring her teeth."

Oh, no! *clutches cushion*

"She was a medium sized-dog with an awful lot of strength and power. I knew there was a very real threat to my family's safety. It was very traumatic."

*swoon* How brave!

The court heard Bolton, who also has three other dogs, acquired Nellie from a neighbour who was concerned about its vicious behaviour.

Ummm.... Hang on!

Bolton had agreed to take her for a trial period, but after two weeks, noticed her acting aggressively towards his other dogs and growling at his children. He later found out the former rescue dog was not supposed to have been re-homed with a family with children.

So...instead of passing it back to the rescue home, this chap palms it off on his neighbour?

Concerned for the safety of his family, Bolton decided to have her euthanased.

Whew! What a sensible ma...

Oh. Wait.

He said he sought advice from agencies including the police, the city council, the PDSA and the RSPCA, but claimed they refused to help.

He also said he phoned several veterinary practices in Canterbury, but claimed each of them refused to offer payment plans to help Bolton meet the high cost of putting Nellie to sleep.

Riiiiight. He didn't want 'help' at all. He wanted someone else to pay! 

He said: "I was quite upset that there was no help available. I got to a point of desperation. I had a dangerous dog in the house that I was pretty much being forced to keep."

Umm, no. It's not that expensive. They weren't asking for the soul of your first born child, after all!

Bolton told the court he kept Nellie in a large cage for the majority of the time, but on the day she died, she had broken free and started attacking his other dogs.

Addressing the bench, Bolton said: "It was probably one of the most unpleasant experiences of my life.

"I'm not proud of what I did. Never would I have done it under any other circumstances. But if I was in the same situation again, I would do it again to cease the threat to my family."

You just wouldn't pay any money to avoid that threat...

Prosecuting for the RSPCA, Elizabeth Spence said Bolton could have avoided the situation by refusing to take in a dog known to be aggressive, and suggested Nellie's suffering was unnecessary.

Well, who couldn't agree with that?

Magistrates deliberated for more than two hours, before reaching a verdict of not guilty.

*sigh*

Chairman of the bench David Ellerby said: "Mr Bolton was under sustained attack, was desperate and reasonably believed that strangulation was the most humane method available at the time to protect himself and his family.

"We accept there was suffering to the dog, but we find this could not have been avoided or reduced at the time, and was therefore necessary."

 In other words: "We believe this total pack of old fanny we are told by this man who doesn't work, has three dogs already, took in a fourth and didn't fancy forking out for the costs of having it destroyed. Also, we think the Tooth Fairy exists, and that man who leaves presents at the foot of our beds comes from the North Pole"

Speaking after the verdict, Bolton told the Canterbury Times: "I'm very relieved. I've always had dogs and I support the Staffordshire Bull Terrier breed in particular.

"But I'm here today because there was no help available to me in that situation. The different agencies need to look into cases like this and perhaps re-think their protocols."

Well, I certainly agree there - I think they should, when they get calls like this one, turn up and put the dog to sleep.

Followed by the owner.

Safety First...Six Weeks Later!

Indy, a Romanian rescue dog was seized by officers from Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Joint Protective Services yesterday (3 February) after reports she had bitten a child.

I should be applauding the police, yes? Well, Reader...no.  

Bedfordshire Police obtained a warrant to seize the dog on 23 December 2021 but only executed the warrant six-weeks later.

*blinks* 

Claire says the officer who came to seize the dog told them this was “to get resources together”.

 

Bedfordshire Dog Unit gearing up for duty... 

What resources? If an animal is reported as 'dangerous', then surely that demands action immediately, not 'after we've finally finished the leftover turkey and all the Quality Streets no-one else likes'..? 

“The dog handlers were arrogant and intimidating, presenting themselves with catchpoles and when my mother asked if she could have support they denied it and the emphasis was on removing her by whatever means.”

“Today Indy cowered as they came in towards her. She showed not one ounce of aggression but they dragged her with their catchpole terrified and causing her to defecate and wet herself in fear.”

And naturally, there's outrage on social media: 

We asked Bedfordshire Police about the incident and why the warrant took six weeks to be executed.

This'll be good! 

Peter Madden, the dangerous dog advisor for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Joint Protective Services, said: “At the scene we initially tried to get the dog into our van with the help of the owner, but unfortunately we were unable to do so, so had to use different tactics such as animal control poles.

“While we understand incidents like these can be distressing, we have to put people’s safety first while our investigation takes place.

Sure, sure, six weeks isn't too long to wait for 'safety', is it? 

“We have spoken with the owner this morning and provided an update, and will continue to keep them informed.

“The dog has been taken to private boarding kennels where it is being well looked after, and it will remain here while the case is being investigated.”

I note you didn't answer the most important question about why you sat on your arses for six weeks before turning up mob handed and putting on a show of force that was clearly totally unwarranted...

Updated: since writing and scheduling this post, Bedfordshire Police have realised the resultant bad publicity was something they couldn't afford.  

You Can't Fix Stupid...

Sharon Archibald, 57, and husband Michael bought the dog called Moose off a 'rescue shelter' on Facebook after falling in love with photos of the golden retriever-collie-Labrador cross breed.

Rather than going to a proper, certified rescue centre, looking at the animal itself,  asking questions about its history, etc, etc... 

But after just four days with the dog, he unleashed a horrific attack on Sharon leaving her with devastating injuries. The pair were in the kitchen washing up on November 3 when Moose came into the kitchen and put his paws on the counter top.

When Sharon firmly told him "no!" he snarled, bared his teeth and lunged at her, taking her chest in his mouth and not letting go. When Michael stood up, the dog attacked Sharon again and bit chunks out of her arm.

Gosh! Who could have predicted that?  🤔

After a ten minute struggle, with the dog was still latched onto Sharon's chest, Moose turned on Michael before he secured him in the crate.

Wait, you're in the kitchen, and you don't grab a knife to defend yourself? You don't leave the house and request armed police assistance? 

The mum-of-two recalls the seller seemed eager to get rid of the dog but he was a perfect match to what they were looking for. After being reassured the hound was a "lovely boy" and good with kids, Sharon and Michael picked Moose up from a car park in Dalwhinnie, Scotland.

Oh, it gets better, doesn't it? 

After they were attacked, the couple decided to have the dog destroyed and an emergency vet was found who put Moose down. During this time, and organiser from the rescue reached out and called Sharon's family "despicable" for having the dog killed, she claims.

I wonder if this mutt came from one of the notorious 'dog rescues' in the former Soviet areas? 

Sharon said: "The most important thing is I want them investigated.

"I want them closed, this isn't a charity they're just making money for themselves. I'm just so thankful I just didn't have any children."

The shelter has been contacted for comment.

I'm thankful you didn't have any children, too. But for quite a different reason... 

D'oh! A Deer!

A dog owner has warned others to be alert after her pet was attacked by a deer.

Ten-year-old dog Patsy survived the attack but owner Pauline Smith, of Hei-Lin Way, Ludgershall, wants people to be aware of the dangers of deer, especially during the breeding season.

Gosh, it must have been terrifying, a giant stag charging, antlers flailing, nostrils flared...

Oh.

Mrs Smith, a part-time carer, was walking Patsy and her daughter Nettie Ralph’s 19-month-old dog Eddie in nearby Collingbourne Woods on May 21 when the incident happened.

Although she did not see the attack she heard rescue dog Patsy, who she adopted four years ago, yelp and saw her walk back on three paws, unable to use her front leg.

So, Sherlock, since the dog wasn't on a leash and under your control at the time, then:

a) You're to blame, and
b) How do you know it was a deer?

Initially it was thought that Patsy had impaled herself on a stick, until deer hair was found underneath the skin.

Aha!

Comments are interesting. Most agree it's her own fault for not ensuring her dog was under her control. But someone shows even more ignorance of the natural world:

sniffydogs says...

Breeding season is in the fall. She was probably protecting her fawn.

Unless Patsy came across a very out-of-place reindeer, it's unlikely 'she' would have had antlers...

Still, as Mark Wadsworth points out (in relation to similar stories from Richmond Park) at least deer play the man and not the ball, unlike cattle, that'll trample you, rather than your dog!

Some ‘Rescue Centre’!

Jean Crooks, 78, was outside her house in Morris Avenue, Billericay, with her bijon frise Murphy, when she claims about seven dogs came out of a neighbouring house and started attacking her dog.

Luckily, she wasn’t alone for too long:

She was pushed into the road and desperately tried to pull Murphy free.

She said: “I was terrified, there were two dogs going for his throat and I was laying on the floor holding on to his lead.”

A man in his 40s passing by stopped to help and managed to break the dogs up.

Neighbour, Gwen Blewitt, 54, came out of her house to help and claims she sustained bites to two of her fingers during the commotion.

She was taken to Basildon Hospital by ambulance to have her injuries bandaged and undergo tests.

Another irresponsible dog owner?

The owner of the other dogs, Lou Scott, runs a dog training and rescue service called Animal Action from her home in Morris Avenue.

Ah.

She claims only one of her dogs, an 11-month old rescued German shepherd cross, was involved in the attack and the others were just “milling around”.

Well, isn’t one enough, love?

And why were they free to ‘mill around’, even if that’s what they were doing? Shouldn't you keep them under control and not free to roam?

She said: “I’m devastated about this and very concerned the dog was hurt.”

You’ll be paying the vet bills, then? And ensuring the dangerous dog is destroyed?

The dog has since gone to new owners and Ms Scott has told them about the incident and advised them to muzzle the dog when outside.

/facepalm

I wonder if this is the culprit?

And this isn’t even the first incident, it seems:

A spokeswoman for Essex Police said: “We were called concerning two women who had been attacked by a group of dogs.

“Officers are now liaising with Basildon Council’s dog warden and the dog owner concerning these dogs, as there has been a previous incident and the owner has been reported for offences of having dogs dangerously out of control in a public place.”

One to watch…

"Wait, The Rules Apply To ME As Well? Monstrous!"

Retired Bedford dog warden Coral Browne was prosecuted by her own council for failing to comply with an abatement notice to stop the dogs barking at ARAS kennels.

She says the fine has placed the centre’s future under threat – a move slammed as barking mad by supporters.

None of whom live within earshot, or would dream of doing so, I suspect!

Coral claims the complaint that prompted all the trouble came from just one or two neighbours.

So..? Is there a number you have to hit to trigger a noise abatement order?

When you were a dog warden, did you refuse to act unless that magic number had been reached?

One resident who submitted noise recordings to the council, told the T&C:”The dogs bark incessantly. It is absolute torture for all of us.

“We’ve being accused of being anti dogs but we’re all animal lovers. We don’t want the kennels closed down – we just want the barking and howling to stop.”

Good luck with that. It seems if you style yourself an 'animal rescuer' you think it defends you against having to abide by society's rules:

A Clacton dog-lover has defended the dog rescue service she operates from her Clacton town centre terrace.

Neighbours complain of barking dogs in her backyard and noting their breeds, fear they present a danger to children.

Mostly Staffies and Staffy-crosses, then, I bet.

Nicola said: “We take pressure off the local councils. We take dogs from the pound, saving councils money and the dog’s life.”

“Dogs are my passion. I just don’t think the neighbours like dogs. Their complaints upset me when you are trying to do a good thing,” she said.

Can't you 'do a good thing' that's maybe a bit less of an imposition on your neighbours?

I love peacocks, but I'd never dream of having one in a residential area. Is it ok if I 'rescue' one, and tell the neighbours to put up with the noise?

Three months ago, Tendring Council and the RSPCA inspected her premises and everything was fine.

“The police are also happy the dogs are under controlled and trained,” she added.

Instead, Nicola accuses neighbours of having parties and making a noise, which “distresses the dogs” and makes them bark.

Wait, so not only do you expect the neighbours to put up with the noise your mutts make, they should live like Benedictine monks so as to not 'provoke' your misbred pack?

Peter Bruff ward councillor Andy Pemberton, who was approached about the rescue service, said: “It’s not just one complaint. There’s been quite a few.”

Tendring council communications manager Nigel Brown said: “The Council has investigated a complaint regarding this address in the past but it was unfounded. However, having received a further complaint officers will be reinvestigating.”

If you want to 'rescue' animals, buy a place in the country.

Disposable Society...

A Derby mum says she has been left heartbroken after her former family dog was put to sleep weeks after it was re-homed by a charity.

Oh boy! Is there a whiff of compo in the air?

Thelina Tillotson, from Chaddesden, says she handed her dog Brooke over to Leicestershire Staffordshire Bull Terrier Rescue (LSBTR) – a charity that specialises in the re-homing of Staffordshire Bull Terriers – around two months ago.

That was because she had recently had a baby and was worried about behavioural problems the dog had.

Nice of you to let some other family take the chance with the animal, love!

The 33-year-old claims she was told Brooke had attacked a carrier bag that a member of the public had been carrying in the street.

Good grief!

Thelina, who has three children (Ed: two are called Breanna and Meah-J, apparently...), said Brooke was a "brilliant dog".

She said: "I had two children grow up around her and she was fine with them.

"She was always the type of dog that she would attack carrier bags or if she heard a noise she would bark but she was not an aggressive dog.

"When I had my baby she started barking when she cried. I thought it would be the best thing to do to have Brooke rehomed. I rang the charity and they didn't say anything about putting dogs down."

What, you thought they'd live forever? The charity was no doubt mindful of the ticking time bomb they'd been left with, and acted appropriately.

A spokesperson from the charity said that the decision to put Brooke to sleep was as a result of her "deteriorating health" and claimed that Thelina had not been in touch.

The spokesperson said: "Brooke's previous owners were contacted by a volunteer of the rescue in order to inform them that due to Brooks deteriorating health, which in the opinion of her veterinary surgeon related to a neurological condition, that her life was not sustainable.

"As the previous owners had not been in contact to enquire about Brooke's welfare, the volunteer took it upon themselves to contact them to try to alleviate the conscience and their rationale for her re-homing due to the dog’s reaction to their new born child.

"Apart from the initial first few days with letting them know the dog had settled, there had been no further enquiries from the previous owner."

If there was any lingering doubt about what sort of people we were dealing with here, it's removed in the comments:

Indeed so.

Find These Dogs...

The 68-year-old woman had taken her cross Brittany Spaniel, Lewis, for a walk on Wednesday afternoon on a residential street in Eccleshill when the three other dogs, said to be Bull Mastiffs, pounced.

She said they came across the road in a line without making a sound before going for Lewis, a rescue dog, prompting her to scream for help as they tore into him.

And people helped, as best they could. No-one over here is armed, which would have been a big help... 

The woman attempted to kick the dogs, others on the street beeped their car horns in a bid to startle the dogs and bring a stop to the attack, while one woman grabbed a hose pipe to spray them with water.

The woman said a man then came “out of nowhere” and took the dogs away, despite people shouting for him not to leave after what had happened.

I really hope some of them had the presence of mind to use their ubiquitous smartphones to get a good image of the thug.  

Lewis, who was stood with “blood pouring all over the floor” was taken to the vets, but it wasn’t good news. His owner, who gave her name as Gwen, said: “They rang me and said I’m really sorry, he’s got 14 very deep wounds and that they’ve gone through to his oesophagus and he needs to be put to sleep.”

“I’m absolutely distraught,” she said. “No-one knows where the man in car the came from, or where he went.

“It was horrific, it was absolutely horrendous. I will never stop hearing my little dog screaming, I couldn’t get them off, I was kicking, kicking and kicking them, they wouldn’t let go.

“It will haunt me for the rest of my life.”

The police have issued an appeal. Although you'd think someone with three large killer dogs would be known in the area already, wouldn't you? 

A West Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “On Wednesday, April 14, police were called to reports of an incident involving a dog that had been attacked by three uncontrolled dogs in the Eccleshill area.

“As a result of the attack, the dog unfortunately had to be put down. Officers have attended and spoke with the owner of dog to establish the circumstances of the incident.

“A crime has been recorded for allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control.

“An investigation to identify the owner of the dangerous dogs is underway and enquiries are ongoing. Anyone with any information that may assist with enquiries is asked to contact 101, quoting reference 13210186315.”

Why do I think 'enquiries are ongoing' is police code for 'We're waiting for someone to tell us who owns these things, because god forbid we have to do anything ourselves'? 

Bad Dog? No, Bad Owner!

Now, I don't normally pay a lot of attention to squawking charities, especially ones with a vested interest in being the agents of control. But I think they've got a point here:

Three of the UK’s leading animal welfare charities – Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, the RSPCA and The Blue Cross – have expressed their mounting disappointment and frustration at what they see as the Coalition Government’s apparent inability to address the country’s most pressing dog control issues.

Their main issue seems to be bull terrier breeds, currently clogging up pet rescue centres left and right as the recession bites and Stabby McChav finds it's a case of Stella or food for Fang, and makes the obvious choice.

But you don't have to wander too far through the local papers to find plenty of stories about people who have dogs and absolutely no bloody idea how to control them, usually because there are no financial or legal consequences for not doing so:

She said: “Like I would on any other day, I walked past lots of dogs with their owners. I saw a lady on a mobile phone with three dogs, a doberman, a great dane and another dog, who looked reasonably docile.”

Three dogs, two of which would be a handful for a full-grown man if untrained, and not even paying any attention to them..!

Not that men aren't equally as useless:

Ms Jones, 36, from Laitwood Road, Balham, is so traumatised by what happened to her beloved pet that she has decided to leave London.

She said: "She was just walking them past the Lido and she heard it coming towards them.

"It went for Leo and then Lily tried to defend him. But it let go of Leo and just turned on Lily.

"The owner came over and held the dog down on the floor. But it escaped and went for her again. He then just picked it up and said to the dog 'What did you do that for?' and walked off towards Aldrington Road without saying anything."

And then there are those who just don't give a damn at all:

Waterfall, 20, of Valley Road, Chilwell, was three hours late for yesterday's hearing at Nottingham Magistrates' Court. The case went ahead in his absence and he did not arrive until after it had finished.

The court heard he was repeatedly late for hearings in relation to Asbo and did not attend at all when he was given the control order.

That hearing heard Waterfall stood by as his dog attacked two of the animals, and that on one occasion he did not intervene because he did not want to get his trainers dirty.

The usual calls for dog licenses, for tougher police and court action, etc get made in comments. It seems that dog-on-dog attacks just aren't treated seriously, until a person is inevitably injured.

So, should the police take a firmer hand with out-of-control dogs attacking other animals?

It seems they don't take it as seriously as they should*, despite the clear public danger when owners and bystanders intervene:

A spokesman for Cheshire Police said: “The dog received minor injuries.

“No members of the public were attacked or received injuries.

“The owners of both animals were spoken to by police.

“No offences were reported.”

Or should it be merely a civil matter?

* H/T APILN

Hark, Hark, The Dogs Do Bark...!

Charley Nathan and Karen James, owners of AA Dog Rescue, of Burnham Road, Latchingdon, must pay more than £20,000 in costs after admitting the two charges at Chelmsford Crown Court on Tuesday.

The breaches occurred during May 2016. Ms Nathan and Ms James have been ordered to cease using the site as a dog rescue centre with immediate effect.

A spokesman for Maldon District Council said: “At Chelmsford Magistrates Court yesterday the defendants, Ms. Karen James and Ms. Charlene Nathan, each entered guilty pleas to one charge of breach of Noise Abatement Notice and one charge of breach of Enforcement Notice.

"Both defendants were sentenced to a two year conditional discharge (on each charge to run concurrently) and each ordered to pay costs of £10,000 plus a £10 surcharge.

“The defendants must now immediately cease the unauthorised use of the site and comply with both the Planning Enforcement Notice and Noise Abatement Notice. The council will be closely monitoring the situation to ensure that the defendants comply with the court order.

“The council, in order to fulfil its duties under both the planning and environmental health regimes, took enforcement action in the Magistrate’s Court in relation to unauthorised use of the site at Oldfield Lodge, Latchingdon, and statutory nuisance being caused through such use.”

Naturally, there's a huge hue and cry on social media, sobbing celebs pleading with everyone to help the poor wittle doggies (stuff the neighbours), and blaming the awful council for endangering them.

When sentencing, the district judge told the defendants: “You continued taking on dogs without the facility to do so and have been causing nuisance to your neighbours.

“You have got to stop and get to grips. Until you get planning permission you have to stop running a dog rescue.

“You need to close down the business so it doesn’t cause a nuisance or breach the Enforcement Notice. Otherwise the Local Authority will bring you back to court.”

Wait, a business? I thought this was run by selfless animal lovers, beggaring themselves to ensure poor Fido has a fome?

The reference to a dog they passed on having killed a child is this infamous case.

Hmmm, sounds like a lucrative business indeed!

The comments are pretty illuminating about this 'rescue organisation', aren't they? 

Why Can’t Bailiffs Recover The Costs?

Police were called at 8.55am on Friday November 20 when a light brown dog was allegedly thrown from the back of a fourth floor Steamer Street flat into Island Road on Barrow Island.

The dog, a former rescue dog called Clyde, suffered internal and chest injuries and was later taken to Grove Vets in Rawlinson Street where he was treated and spent a number of days.

Clyde was later taken to kennels in another part of Cumbria while police investigated the incident.

And initially, it seemed that this case was progressing:

A 30-year-old man from Barrow was arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty. He was then further arrested on suspicion of an offence under the Dangerous Dog Act, which was later withdrawn.

Police have since confirmed to the Evening Mail that the man will face no further action in connection with the alleged incident and because of this, he was given 28 days to claim the dog back.

Naturally, he didn’t.

That time period has now lapsed and after receiving no response from the owner, police have said that Clyde will now be rehomed by an animal charity.

Which is good news for the animal, but not so much for the taxpayer:

The Evening Mail understands Cumbria Police has paid for all costs associated with Clyde's care at Grove Vets.

Actually, unless the station had a whip-round, it means that we – the taxpayer – did.

Why has the cost of this animal’s treatment not been recovered from its owner? The usual answer is ‘because he doesn’t have any money’. But he must have something. Remove it, sell it, and put whatever it fetches to the bill.

Nope, Need An Electron Microscope To Spot The Difference...

Dexter Neal died in hospital after being bitten by Jade Dunne's dog Ruby at her home in Halstead, Essex, on the afternoon of August 18 last year.

Dunne, 29, pleaded guilty to being the owner of a dog dangerously out of control, resulting in death, at an earlier hearing.

She was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years, at Chelmsford Crown Court on Tuesday.

She was also disqualified from owning a dog for 10 years and ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work.

Meanwhile, PC Clare Ferdinand is never ever charged. So it would seem Jade's lawyers were not on the ball, since I'm still baffled as to how there's any material difference in this case.

I did wonder if this particular dog had a history of human aggression, but if that came out in court, it's not been reported:

Ruby was a rescue dog who was rarely walked, had shown no aggression towards humans in the Dunnes' home before but “sometimes didn't like other dogs” and had to be muzzled when walked.

She said Dunne could not reasonably have foreseen the attack.

Just like PC Clare Ferdinand?

Yet Another Demand For Legislation To Overrule Darwin…

The family of tragic Lexi Branson last night called for new laws surrounding the re-homing of dogs following an inquest into her horrific death.

Because there needs to be legislation to stop single mothers paying £50 for a bulldog of dubious history & installing it in a flat with their tiny daughter, clearly…

Sheesh!

An inquest into her death was told staff knew the dog was not suitable to be housed with small children - yet still agreed to sell it.

They also failed to carry out a home visit despite knowing Jodi, 31, lived with Lexi in a two-bedroom flat with no secure back garden.

So, of course, we need immediate legislation, don’t we?

According to the usual grandstanding coroner desperate to place the blame elsewhere than on the grieving parent…

Senior coroner Trevor Kirkman was told kennel staff had no external training because incredibly there are no current laws in relation to re-homing dogs. Recording a narrative conclusion, Mr Kirkman said he would be writing a report with recommendations to try and "prevent future such deaths".

He added: "It seems to me, having heard the evidence, there are no national standards by which any policy for re-homing is considered.

"There is also no statutory requirement to make a home visit. The decision on whether she should have the dog was left up to Jodi.

Well, yes. She was an adult, wasn’t she? We trust adults to be competent to make their own decisions, don’t we?

"A coroner has a statutory duty to report facts which he or she believes should be reported with a view of trying to prevent future deaths.

"I will be making a report as a result of the evidence in this case, making my recommendations to the appropriate authorities."

Good grief! The RSPCA must be rubbing their hands with glee – another costly overhead for rescue centres will drive a few more of them out of business, and who will benefit?

Lexi’s grandfather, Alan Tait, 67, welcomed the move, saying: "We are pleased the coroner is going to look at the law.

"There should be some sort of legislation so the owners of kennels have to abide by some sort of strict rules with regard to rehoming stray dogs."

*rolls eyes*

"We were very surprised to hear there are currently no guidelines. I’d strongly call for them to be implemented."

Wait, which is it, thickos? ‘Strict rules’ or ‘guidelines’? And are you aware those aren’t the same things?

"You think something is there protecting people, but when you realise it isn’t, it is really quite shocking. Hopefully this will never happen again."

Spoken like good little ‘the State knows best, save us from ourselves!’ drones…

But maybe the rescue centre is culpable to some degree, after all we were just told “staff knew the dog was not suitable to be housed with small children”, weren’t we?

Well, turns out that’s utter crap too:

The hearing was told its last owner had the animal for less than 24 hours before it attacked another dog - leaving him fearing for the safety of his children. He then lied to a council dog warden by telling them it was a stray so it would be taken away for free - rather than having to pay a fee. It meant kennel staff were unaware of the previous incident and wrongly believed it was a stray that had been wandering a city park.

Kennel worker Sammi Pestell said she carried out an assessment with a colleague on Mulan before he was cleared to be re-homed.

She added the animal had a "lovely temperament" and was "very loving and sweet", showing "no signs of aggression at all".

So, the rescue centre didn’t know anything of it’s suitability or non-suitability with children based on its prior history. They can only assess what they see before them. And – while you might say they shouldn’t have given it to someone unsuited to it’s needs, and I’d agree with you on this – there’s no fault to be placed on them for the death.

That, I’m afraid, rests squarely with the mother.