Ennvironment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Written evidence submitted by Denise Day
Have now had time to read and digest DEFRA’s latest efforts and despite the number of daft responses I’ve had from them over the last few months I am honestly stunned at their continued lack of understanding and hopeless approach to the problems.
The Amendment does NOTHING to prevent dog attacks—as always they have gone for the “after the horse has bolted” option. How long will it be before a little old dear has her “baby” taken away and destroyed? you know the one—charges down the path and bites the postman every day, total nightmare on walks as it attacks other dogs on sight............. it isn’t just the moronic owners who deliberately turn their dogs into status symbols that have ruined it for the rest of us is it? Will this dog be treated the same as a larger breed? Will the police/wardens have the time to look into the history of the dogs and their owners or will it just be” its bitten once so will do it again?”
Why on earth can’t dog control orders be brought in where a complaint is received and investigated and the owner fined and warned of the consequences if it ever happens again? Gives them the chance to change their dog’s behaviour and the authorities the chance to investigate whether it is a genuine complaint or just a “grudge”—how many innocent dogs will die because two people have issues with each other?
Yes it will take time and money but surely it will eventually cost less than all the cases taken to court—bad owners will have to shape up or face losing their dog and a ban from owning any more. If their dog is one who charges at the postie then the post office can refuse to deliver their mail unless the dog is under proper control. Same goes for other visitors to the house—the meter reader is bitten so makes a formal complaint to the local authority and action is taken against the owner. What it will mean is more work for the councils—what happens at the moment when a complaint is received?
We’ve all said it—the time has come for the authorities to stop punishing the dogs and start taking proper action against the bad and often clueless owners. The large breeds are always shown in a bad light but how many of us have had problems with a “yappy snappy” and done nothing about it? Time we stood up for our dogs—the ones we train and have under proper control yet have to contend with the “he only wants to play” mob. As dog owners they are just as irresponsible as those who deliberately train their dogs to be vicious—I see no difference between no training and the wrong training. How often do you see someone in a public place ordered to put their dog on a lead by someone in authority? How often do you see dogs running riot while their owners stand around chatting not taking a blind bit of notice of their animal?
As always it’s the minority that have ruined it for the rest of us who just want to enjoy the fantastic bond between dog and owner.
Denise Day, Dog Lover and Member of the Dog Rescue Federation
April 2013