Alison03

That's what I call a determined man who isn't put off by anything.

Those "animals before humans" types no doubt, the ones who try to make us feel guilty about breathing air because we are so horrible we don't deserve it. As much as I prefer my dog to some people, I would never knowingly put another person in peril to try to save a dog that had proved itself to be dangerous. I've seen some episodes of the Dog Whisperer where he has done just that, tried to rehabilitate a dog and "encourage" a family to persevere with a dog they are obviously deathly afraid of, makes no sense to me at all. : ( Very sensible I like your post :) Thank you : )

Not all vets have access to the registries. This... Not all vets in all states have access levels to the various chip registries which allow them to see the owner's name, address, or phone numbers. But the local councils DO have this level of access, and if you have the chip number they can contact the owner on your behalf and appeal to them to allow the transfer of ownership to happen - and the councils can usually also alter the registry details on the spot. I can see why the RSPCA (if tasked with companion animal management) would seize the dog from someone who is not the registered owner... how would any of us feel if someone had one of our dogs and tried to pass it off as their own - and that the people who had the power to reunite us with our dog just simply transferred ownership on that person's say so? I'm not a fan of the RSPCA temperament tests - so I won't comment on that part of the story. T. I feel the same way, if my dog got stolen I wouldn't want her to be transferred to someone else so easily either. It looks like what the vet told my cousin was correct, he couldn't find the owners name just the number and only the pound/RSPCA can access that information, probably something to do with the privacy act or something like that. No one seems to be a fan of the temperament tests, I don't know what they entail so I can't comment on that either. Thanks for giving me the info. : )

Thanks Alyosha and Aussie3, I thought that might be the case, I read an article on it once ages ago, of course I can't find it now when I want it. Anyway it was some vets saying the microchip scheme wasn't as straight forward as it should be. Thanks for confirming that. : )

Well how exactly would you like me to relay the story, they are people I know and I was telling it how I heard it. I fully realize the pounds/RSPCA have a tough job but sometimes things go pear shaped and someone loses a dog, apparently it's not unusual. I don't know why the vet told my cousin he could only read the microchip number, he said something about different types of chips are implanted, different brands and his scanner couldn't read all of them. Does that ring true?

I think you are right, we have to use our own judgement, I've caught a few loose dogs, I came across a young Mum one day with a Golden Retriever and a toddler, a heady mix, as soon as the GR saw my little dog it lunged, the young Mum, dropped her phone and the leash, the dog rushed at us, I grabbed the leather and large chain leash and got one hell of a chain bruise across my thigh but managed to stop him, between us we wrangled him, my little "fluffy" just stood behind me as usual, she didn't make a sound. I didn't and wouldn't report that, it was a pure accident and "Rex" was just a big puppy (very big). To date I've caught a beagle and a springer spaniel in similar circumstances, they weren't aggressive just eager, my little dog aids me greatly by not going off her head while it's all going on. : ) There is a big difference between an drop leash escape and an aggressive rushing dog. You were lucky that lady was understanding about the grab but I guess if your dog had meant to bite he would have. We have been attacked properly in the passed and I did report that.

Thank PL for not calling me a story teller at best or a liar at worst. For a minute there I was thinking my cousin may have got it wrong and my friend who lost his dachshund. I nearly rang my cousin to clarify the situation. You have made sense of it for me. I can't imagine a vet taking someone's dog and saying you can't have it back, perhaps that's why my cousin was told they could only read the microchip number and were not able to access the owners name, (which BTW was her fathers name) only the RSPCA could do that, but don't take the dog there. She was told to just take the dog home and not worry about the chip. She rang me afterwards and knowing my friend had had a similar problem I rang him, he said "For Gods sake tell her not to take the dog to the pound or RSPCA " he was frantic while he was telling me the story of poor Toby. I have to say I'm a little put out by the lack of manners displayed by some members of this forum, with their "urban legend" comments and dismissive attitude. Shame on them.

Many years ago I changed the way I walked to my children's school because of two GSD's that would run out with their hackles up, I didn't scare as easy in those days, shouting and saying "Go home" would get rid of them. However I didn't walk my kids passed them as I had no right to risk them getting attacked, so I went a different longer way around. A few weeks later those dogs attacked a child because he tried to run away, then they attacked the child's mother. They didn't know how to react, they did the worst thing by running, was it their fault then, no it was the irresponsible owner of the dogs fault. I should have reported those dogs the first time they rushed me, they rushed at everyone walking passed, no one reported them because they hadn't bitten anyone, but when they decided to start biting it was severe. It's not about a nanny state, it's about a community drawing a line and saying for the safety of others this behavior cannot continue, we are all responsible for the communities we live in. If anyone sees or experiences anything dangerous they should report it.

I seriously doubt a vet would tell the new owners to take the dog to the RSPCA to have a m/chip read. All vets have m/chip scanners. I also doubt the RSPCA confiscated the dog. It would not take weeks to sort out the ownership issue. A state dec by the new owners stating they had legitimately bought/rescued/were given the dog would be enough. There would be no need to leave the dog at the RSPCA 'for a few weeks'? Under the circumstances I seriously doubt the m/chip number had a 'stolen dog' alert attached to it so the RSPCA would have no legitimate grounds on which to confiscate the dog. None of this story rings true. The RSPCA told my friend they'd hold the dog for 14 days till he could prove the previous owner had passed the dog to him, once that was done he thought it would be plain sailing, he was told you can come to get Toby after they had done the behavioral test, my friend thought that won't be a problem he hasn't got a bad bone in his body, however it didn't turn out that way. They told him they couldn't legally release a dog that hadn't passed this test or they would be at fault if it bit someone.

Well for an urban myth it seems to happen an awful lot, my cousin while at Surfers had to take her fathers dog, he couldn't manage it. He'd bought it from "a bloke at the pub" and had had it a few years. So doing the right thing she wanted the chip changed to her name, the vet told her that the RSPCA was the only place where they could read the chip, he then said but don't take the dog there because they will impound it for 14 days till you can prove it's yours and if it doesn't pass the behavioral test it will be curtains for the dog. I have always assumed the vet can read the chip and find the name of the owner but apparently not according to this vet. He said only the RSPCA can access who is the owner of the dog, the vet can only see the chip number.

Those "animals before humans" types no doubt, the ones who try to make us feel guilty about breathing air because we are so horrible we don't deserve it. As much as I prefer my dog to some people, I would never knowingly put another person in peril to try to save a dog that had proved itself to be dangerous. I've seen some episodes of the Dog Whisperer where he has done just that, tried to rehabilitate a dog and "encourage" a family to persevere with a dog they are obviously deathly afraid of, makes no sense to me at all. : (

There are some hard and fast rules with dog pounds and the RSPCA. Someone I know was given a dog that had been owned by a drug addict who had over dosed and gone into rehab. It was a dachshund, they had it in their house for a month, lying around on the floor playing with the grand kids, it never put a foot wrong. When they took it to the vet, the day after they got it, for vaccinations etc, the vet told them to go to the RSPCA to have its microchip read. After a few weeks they went to have it checked, the RSPCA confiscated the dog on the spot, told the new parents it wasn't their dog. Anyway after a few a weeks of searching they got the drug person to clear up the ownership problem, the RSPCA told them to come pick up the dog the next day ( there were fees to pay) after they'd done a behavioral test, when they got there to pick up their baby they were told it had failed the test and been put down. Now WTF was that about, they were devastated but they were stonewalled right out the door.

That would have been really scary, those sudden explosive appearances would freak a horse out, well done for staying in the saddle. The dog is lucky it didn't get stamped on or turned into a sail dog (sailing through the air). My little dog just stands and stares when she sees a horse, a rabbit or a bird is a different story.

"It's like those idiot "rescuers" that rehome dangerous or special needs dogs without disclosing their history. I don't understand how anyone can get an "I did a good thing" kick out of that." Does this really happen, it's a criminal thing to do, rehoming a dangerous dog with out warning the adopting family. That's like those dog owners that shrug off a biting issue until it's too late, they will accept any type of bad behavior and expect other people to accept it too.

What did you think they would do without identifying the owner? It's always worth reporting an incident where someone could have been injured, for all Jess knows this guy could be walking around saying "pat my dog" just to see if it will snap. All calls are logged, the next person who rings with the same problem may actually know where the guy lives , then council will know it's wasn't a one off incident. If making one phone call helps put a stop to someone being irresponsible it's worth doing it. Well done Jess I say. : )

Thanks you just answered my question. : )

I'm not sure it is, I've never heard of anyone getting a death certificate for an animal unless it has something wrong with it that's contagious or under a PTS order, then it's a good idea to have proof you did the right thing.

I walk passed a woman every day who is heroically struggling with her blue cattle dog, while it tries to get at any dog it sees, it seems to have a problem with kids too. She has what looks like a Halti on it with a band to stop its mouth opening too wide, I've never been inclined to get to close but that's what it looks like. I have to give her marks for making an effort, much better than what she used to do, which was wrap the lead around a post and hang on while anxiously telling you to hurry passed. I can see she's trying hard but the dog doesn't seem to be improving.

They are all competing with each other for the biggest shock value, sells more papers and getting higher ratings.

"I have no respect for any vet who would sign something and straight out lie to save their arse - they are paid to do a service and honesty is expected. Happens more than most people know.." Andisa you hit the nail on the head, I couldn't agree more.

Poor puppy, that's horrible, I had no idea they'd attack a puppy but I suppose it makes sense when you think about it. A small defenseless pup would be a target, just like any other small animal.

I stopped watching Today Tonight and Current Affair years ago, some of their stories are very weak and not well researched. Unfortunately a lot of people do watch them and believe it all. : (

https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2013/10/02/390070_news.html Here's the article, sounds like the vet is in damage control. He says the total opposite to Sasha's owner.

I just saw the owner of this dog on Sunrise, she said she had to fill in a form saying why she wanted Sasha euthanized, she said she wrote down the dog was dangerous and had attacked livestock and family members. She wants to know where that form she filled in went. The vet told her this was the first time anything like this had happened at his surgery. No one mentioned anyone trying to talk her out of the PTS. In response to being asked did she still want Sasha put down, she said "Yes" she didn't want any other family being in danger from her. She seemed very certain about what should have happened and a little pissed off that it hadn't been done. The vet said the death certificate had been sent out by mistake. This is a case of "he said, she said", it's hard to prove who said what at the time, I think this is how vets who do this kind of thing side step the issue.

I've noticed you hardly ever hear of any other type of dog attack, it does lead the general public to believe its only certain breeds of dogs that attack, which we know just isn't true. I can think of many dog attacks I know of personally that didn't involve bull breeds, cattle dogs seem to rate highly in the biting stakes for instance, I found a list on the Internet somewhere compiled by various councils of dogs most likely to bite, cattle dogs and Labradors (which surprised me) were right at the top, along with JRT's. I think the press don't turn up for those types of incidents. You are correct Alison03 - the media don't want to know unless it can be called a "pitbull"... sad, but true... Then there is also the fact that the same media are telling people that Labs, Cattle Dogs, and JRT's are great family pets... which may not be the case with every individual dog of any of those breeds/mixes. T. Yes I've noticed how the breed of dog always seems to be the same in dog attacks, but if you check out dog attack lists they aren't actually at the top of the list, the good family dogs are right up there. Cattle/kelpie dogs are an issue where I live. There are bull mastiff type dogs but I've never heard of an issue with them. A friend of mine has a JRT that is slowly destroying her garden and is a very snappy fellow, has to be locked up when the grand kids visit, as it's had a go at biting them.