Reporting Dogs To The Authorities

[Agility Dogs]

Every time I read a thread that says 'Report it to the council' I can't help but wonder if we are doing ourselves a disservice and encouraging the nanny state thing by reporting every near miss or thing that could have gone wrong if something was slightly different?

I'm not suggesting a general state of anarchy where we allow rabid dogs to attack at will, but surely there is a middle ground where we accept that sometimes stuff just happens and we need to deal with it?

FTR - one of my dogs has done something that many on here would have advocated reporting him for. I made a mistake and let it happen - it shouldn't have and it certainly won't happen again. The guy who owned to dog it happened to (no vet bills or visits involved) was mightily annoyed, but has moved on and everyone is fine. Would it really have helped the world to report the incident and hilight bad dog ownership and stretch already lacking resources?

[capanash]

All depends on circumstances of the individual incident.

A few years ago, we had a dog in our street that was always running out on the road, chasing people, owner had no control of the dog (only a small x-breed). It chased me once when I was riding my bicycle, I had words with the owner and was assured it would be kept under control. A few weeks later the dog chased and bit me on the leg. I ended up with having weeks of work due to the injury. This dog lived around the corner from a busy school, it could have attacked a child. I wish that I had reported the first incident.

(posted by Marlene)

[Dame Aussie]

I think it depends on what the indicent was.

If a dog attacked my dog, whether there was vet bills or not, I would be reporting them.

If a dog got off its lead by accident and was friendly, no I wouldn't report it.

[Salukifan]

I was recently told of an incident in the local area that saw a Labrador female attacked and mauled by a another dog whilst being walked by a teenage girl. The Labrador tried to get away but was actually grabbed by the other dog, dragged across the road and repeatedly bitten until beaten off by those who heard the teenagers screams and came to help.

Turns out the attacking dog had quite a history of escaping, had killed small animals and threatened passers by but had never been reported due to fears by neighbours that the dog's owner would seek retribution.

Now that's one dog and one child scarred for life by something that might reasonably have been prevented by action to ensure that dog was contained.

I encourage people to report wandering and aggressive dogs for safety reasons, not due to any perception that in a "nanny state" dogs shouldn't roam. Its called community spirit.

[minimax]

Every time I read a thread that says 'Report it to the council' I can't help but wonder if we are doing ourselves a disservice and encouraging the nanny state thing by reporting every near miss or thing that could have gone wrong if something was slightly different?

I'm not suggesting a general state of anarchy where we allow rabid dogs to attack at will, but surely there is a middle ground where we accept that sometimes stuff just happens and we need to deal with it?

FTR - one of my dogs has done something that many on here would have advocated reporting him for. I made a mistake and let it happen - it shouldn't have and it certainly won't happen again. The guy who owned to dog it happened to (no vet bills or visits involved) was mightily annoyed, but has moved on and everyone is fine. Would it really have helped the world to report the incident and hilight bad dog ownership and stretch already lacking resources?

If you were a different person and didn't learn from your mistakes and let the incident happen again, yes it would have helped for the other person to report it to help prevent future incidents and injury. Not everyone is you.

[ness]

I had an incident I should have reported and didn't as I do think things happen and appreciate you do occasionally get dogs acting out of character. 12 months later it happened again. Same dog. You can bet the second time around the incident was reported.

[Diva]

I had an incident I should have reported and didn't as I do think things happen and appreciate you do occasionally get dogs acting out of character. 12 months later it happened again. Same dog. You can bet the second time around the incident was reported.

Whether I report depends on how dangerous I think the situation has the potential to be and how the other owners respond. The owners of the dog that broke through their front flywire door to charge across the road and attack mine, who were unable to get it back and who required the help of a passing tradie to get its mouth off my dog, and who then ran back inside and refused to talk to me, got reported. Had they had more control over the dog or had they acknowledged to me that their dog management was dangerously inept for the dog they had I probably wouldn't have. I don't leap to report for a true accident but that requires the other owners committing to preventing a repetition.

Edited October 3, 2013 by Diva

[Dory the Doted One]

I made a report on a near miss.

We were charged by an off lead dog. The initial charge was quite aggressive and it scared the hell or of me. Really scared me.

The dog did not continue the behavior into an attack, fortunately.

But the owner was not anywhere close to the dog, had no lead and no control.

The key point that caused me to report it was just how scared I was. I don't scare that easily but the dogs initial approach was such that I felt an uncontolled attack was about to happen. That forms part of the legislation that defines a potential dangerous dog.

[tdierikx]

The problem is that we don't always know whether the dog has a history of incidents of a similar nature... by reporting issues - even the smaller but worrying ones - at least council will have records relating to the problem animal when there may be a more serious incident occur - and then they will be pretty quick to act on it. If there are no reports of escalating issues with the dog - then the owners will just use the "oh - he/she's never done that before" excuse and probably get off with only a warning... until the next attack...

Prevention is always better than a cure in cases of aggressive dog behaviour.

T.

[Dogsfevr]

I have no issues reporting providing all facts are stated .

To often even on here you here people whinging this happened to my dog should i report it but they have forgotten to post the most obvious part that there actions caused the issue to happen but there dog came off second best .

There is often two sides to every story but if its a true case of an issue then yes it should be reported for the dogs safety & others .

But i do have to say many people just don't think around dogs & that is scary.

I have spent two days at the royal show & even though i have a sign saying i am friendly but please ask before patting many people simply feel that doesn't apply to them & just do what they want with no thought of what there actions may create but be the first to point the finger .

[Loving my Oldies]

All depends on circumstances of the individual incident.

I think it depends on what the indicent was.

You can bet the second time around the incident was reported.

[Only parts of posts quoted.]

As capanash and Aussie 3 have said. So much depends on what happens after an event. Whether there is understanding, reconciliation, appreciation of future problems, etc etc.

And as ness says, we don't often know if dogs/people have a history, so it is probably better to err on the side of caution.

[Alison03]

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.

[raineth]

It is an interesting thought AD.

It's even harder when you have a reactive dog because even friendly loose dogs (who come up to you) set you back in training and make for a stressful situation. And it makes me tempted to report them, because you feel so frustrated.

I would never report people with loose dogs who are under control or who are never any bother.

When a Lab attacked Del I didn't report it because the lady was contrite and apologised etc. and it made me think that she had learnt a lesson and would modify her management of the dog. But I wish I had because I saw it out several times still after that.

I reported the worst attack on my dog because it was really very necessary. The owner was fined.

The only other dog I reported was a small fluffy. It was regularly out and would try and bite my dogs around the ankles. The owner never did anything about it even when I asked him to. So I told him I would report him, and I did.

Maybe it does contribute to a Nanny state, but I do think that sometimes it needs to be done.

Edited October 3, 2013 by raineth

[Santo66]

I reported one after the 3rd time it came rushing out of it's driveway trying to attack my dogs walking by the house on leash......it was a little dog which didn't present a real threat to me, it was football size and worked like a football when it grabbed my pants leg the last time, but after two occasions speaking with the owners of this dog to play by the rules and keep their dog in which they ignored, they deserved a menacing dog order and the fine they got by me reporting the situation which I think was well justified.

I have also dropped the ball a few years ago getting a pup out of the car who slipped through my grasp and ran into the carpark. A lady intervened to catch him an in the commotion, my older dog jumped over the seat......door still open and bit the lady who was trying to help me on the hip...she was wearing jeans and I saw it coming at the last second to stop a full on bite, so it was more a grab than a bite and the lady was uninjured but none the less I was in the shit and my dog probably euthanized if she had have reported me but she didn't, she was very understanding and luckily my older dog was trained well enough for her to see he wasn't a rabid threat. Personally I don't report on error, no one is perfect even me, shit happens and I think we need to be reasonable In the decision to report.

[Alison03]

I reported one after the 3rd time it came rushing out of it's driveway trying to attack my dogs walking by the house on leash......it was a little dog which didn't present a real threat to me, it was football size and worked like a football when it grabbed my pants leg the last time, but after two occasions speaking with the owners of this dog to play by the rules and keep their dog in which they ignored, they deserved a menacing dog order and the fine they got by me reporting the situation which I think was well justified.

I have also dropped the ball a few years ago getting a pup out of the car who slipped through my grasp and ran into the carpark. A lady intervened to catch him an in the commotion, my older dog jumped over the seat......door still open and bit the lady who was trying to help me on the hip...she was wearing jeans and I saw it coming at the last second to stop a full on bite, so it was more a grab than a bite and the lady was uninjured but none the less I was in the shit and my dog probably euthanized if she had have reported me but she didn't, she was very understanding and luckily my older dog was trained well enough for her to see he wasn't a rabid threat. Personally I don't report on error, no one is perfect even me, shit happens and I think we need to be reasonable In the decision to report.

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.

[claireybell]

Inlaws dog was bitten by another dog a few weeks back. They were going to report the incident but in the end decided against it.

Why?

Because when their dog was bitten he was off lead in an area where he should have been on lead.

Because their dog rushed at the other dog

Because when they called their dog back he paid zero attention and kept going

They insisted the owner of the dog that bit theirs pay the vet bill (roughly $450). The owner refused and said that he should report them for having their dog off lead and not under control.

I have been telling my FIL for years that just beause his dog is friendy does not mean that all dogs want to be rushed at and he should have his dog under control. Unfortunately the dog learnt the hard way and FIL hasn't learnt a thing.

[mixeduppup]

I report sometimes, other times I give the benefit of the doubt if it wasn't serious. I've reported dogs that are fence runners suddenly jumping the fence and chasing a lady and her dog into her car. I've reported a dog that was out 3 times and rushed people. I don't report dogs that are out and are friendly unless they're in danger as I don't see the point.

ETA: because i run the pound facebook page and website i sometimes put friendly reminders or information regarding dogs at large and how to properly contain your dog.

Edited October 3, 2013 by mixeduppup

[Steph M]

It certainly helps for their records as well. When they're allocating resources and working out a plan of action I would hate to have our council think they have nothing at all to worry about, when they do.

A near miss is dumb luck a lot of the time, I know if my dog snapped at the face of a kid I'd be upset, and manage him/her differently, loose dogs don't phase me unless they're in danger or nasty, but certainly being rushed or snapped at warrants some record.

[WreckitWhippet]

I report every near miss because I know that the next person that comes along may not be so lucky or in a position where they can scare or beat a dog off. I've had my dogs attacked numerous times over the years and I have zero tolerance for dogs that are not in their yard, on lead where required or are owned by retards with no control over them.

[curly]

I'm planning a chat to the council tomorrow about off-lead dogs in general. We live beside a bushy track used by many people to walk their dogs. The problem is it's not an off-lead area and all these dogs are, of course, off lead. So I get dogs chasing my horses, dogs leaving steaming piles around the place, dogs trying to attack my dogs.

Today while walking my lot in the dog-fenced paddock, another pair of off-lead dogs went walking past. My boy ran up to the fence and barked. Once. Naughty. Then I hear the other dogs bark. Then mad snarling and fighting. Yep, these dogs had run through 20m or so of scrub to go after my boy, who needless to say went back at them. Luckily he can't get through the fence (although they could manage it from the outside). If those dogs had been under control, we would have had a look, a woof, and a speed back to me. I'm a bit over it. And if anyone's wondering, half the property is entirely dog-fenced, the other half is being done gradually.

The problem is, what can be done? I don't know where these dogs live. I can identify '2 dobermans', or '2 chow x' - they were a worry, I really thought they'd attack the horses. But if I can't 100% identify the dogs, then what? Get the council to put signs up?