Irresponsible owners

I see on here almost every other day that there are irresponsible owners that don’t care what their dogs get up to. Situations where, a loose dog comes running up to you and you fear for yours or your dogs safety. Then, when you confront the owner, he has the cheek to tell you where to go.
So I have been doing a bit of research and have come up with a few things.

On Direct.gov.uk there is a section about dogs and it says,

Direct.gov.uk wrote:It is an offence to allow a dog of any type or breed to be dangerously out of control.

Direct.gov.uk wrote:What is 'out of control'?
Your dog is dangerously out of control if it:
-injures a person, or
-behaves in a way that makes a person worried that it might injure them - even if it's the dog owner's own home or garden.

I also found this on legislation.gov.uk

legislation.gov.uk Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Section 10 Subsection 10 Paragraph 2 wrote: For the purposes of this Act a dog shall be regarded as dangerously out of control on any occasion on which there are grounds for reasonable apprehension that it will injure any person, whether or not it actually does so.

legislation.gov.uk Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Section 10 Subsection 3 Paragraph 1 wrote:If a dog is dangerously out of control in a public place—
(a)the owner; and
(b)if different, the person for the time being in charge of the dog, is guilty of an offence, or, if the dog while so out of control injures any person, an aggravated offence, under this subsection.

I also found this on thekennelclub.org.uk

thekennelclub.org.uk wrote:The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005
Under this Act, you could be fined up to £1,000 for breaching dog control orders. Local authorities can make orders for standard offences including: failing to remove dog faeces, not keeping a dog on a lead, not putting and keeping a dog on a lead when directed to do so, permitting a dog to enter land from which dogs are excluded and taking more than a specified number of dogs on to land.

So, if a loose dog is running towards you and you don’t know if it is safe or not, it is classed as a dangerous dog and the owner could be fined up to £1000.

I'm not going to go into what you should do if a dog runs at you, have a look at the end of this post. There are a few links to sites that describe what you should do. But, what you need to do, is have a camera and phone with you. Try to get some pictures. Better still, try to get some video footage. But only if you think it is safe to do so.

If you are confronted by the owner and he/she gives you grief about it, or asks why you are taking pictures of their dog, tell them that you are reporting them to the police and local dog warden because they have broken the law under Section 10 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 and Section 55 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005. Then hand them this letter and tell them that they will be contacted soon.

A responsible dog owner wrote:
Dear Sir/Madam
You have been given this letter because you have broken several laws and you will be reported to the local police the local dog warden and the local council.

I would like to point out the laws that you have broken.

Section 10 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991
Subsection 10 Paragraph 2
For the purposes of this Act a dog shall be regarded as dangerously out of control on any occasion on which there are grounds for reasonable apprehension that it will injure any person, whether or not it actually does so, but references to a dog injuring a person or there being grounds for reasonable apprehension that it will do so do not include references to any case in which the dog is being used for a lawful purpose by a constable or a person in the service of the Crown.

Subsection 3 Paragraph 1
If a dog is dangerously out of control in a public place—
(a)the owner; and
(b)if different, the person for the time being in charge of the dog, is guilty of an offence, or, if the dog while so out of control injures any person, an aggravated offence, under this subsection.

Section 55 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005.
Paragraph 3
For the purposes of this Chapter an offence relates to the control of dogs if it relates to one of the following matters—
(a)fouling of land by dogs and the removal of dog faeces;
(b)the keeping of dogs on leads;
(c)the exclusion of dogs from land;
(d)the number of dogs which a person may take on to any land.

Yours Faithfully
A responsible dog owner

I'm pretty sure that the owner will back down. But still, report the incident anyway because it could happen again on another day, or to someone else.

Here are a few links that will be of use.

Find your local police station and get their telephone number. Save it on your mobile as a speed dial or somewhere easy to find.
http://www.police.uk/

This is a list for pretty much all of the UK’s dog wardens. If yours is not on there, try to find the nearest one to you, give them a call and see who is your local warden. Then, save this number as well.
http://www.luton.gov.uk/internet/environment/animal_welfare/dog%20warden%20services/dogwarden.html

Dangerous Dogs Act
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndCommunity/InYourHome/AnimalsAndPets/Dogs/DG_180008
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1991/65/contents
The bits I used
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1991/65/section/3
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1991/65/section/10
Here is a PDF of the Dangerous Dogs Act
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1991/65/pdfs/ukpga_19910065_en.pdf

The Kennel Club Dog Law
http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/1052

Here is some info on what to do if you are attacked by a dog, or think you might be attacked.
http://www.wikihow.com/Handle-a-Dog-Attack
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/6227497.stm
http://leerburg.com/dogattack.htm

Great advice, definately will keep that in my mind

Nice post

good to know, thank you

Useful!

Very usefull will use if neccessary

Great advice, I found the same sites a while back because i was getting annoyed with people and wanted to see if i was in the right.
Taz is selective dog aggressive so i keep him on a lead, but when people allow their dogs to run over (whether aggressively or not) I worry for Taz's safety incase he will not like that dog and a fight will get started.
But it seems specific if the dogs make you personally worried for your safety not if your worried for your dogs safety, so i left it at that.

Good info, thanks

Cheers guys. Glad you like the info

MissRogue wrote:but when people allow their dogs to run over (whether aggressively or not) I worry for Taz's safety incase he will not like that dog and a fight will get started.
But it seems specific if the dogs make you personally worried for your safety not if your worried for your dogs safety, so i left it at that.

Your safety is still a concern. If a fight breaks out, then either you end up getting caught in the middle of it, or you have to try and split it up.
So the law would still apply.

im frightend if any dog-small or big that approaches me n blayde since we got attackd by another staffy wen he was 6months old. it was 1 of the worst things tha has ever happend! some ppl mite think im daft 4 protectin my dog against another dog but i dont care, if the dog got hold of blayde like it did me i dont think he'd b here 2day (iv got bite scars on my wrist) -my blayde didnt hava clue wot was goin on, his tail was waggin like mad at 1st cuz he thort the dog had come 2play.
the person incharge of the dog was ther n cudnt control it, probably had somethin 2do wiv the fact tha hes a druggie!

totally agree with everyone saying its great advice and it is... but and im sorry there is a but.. hate to be realistic but ill give you all an example

Where i'm from it has become very popular for guys between the age of 16-25 to get bull breeds albeit staffs pitulls mastiffs. They get these breeds to basically look the *. The big dogs in their harness's pulling at the leash walking up and down the road. They even travel in groups now. I pass these "packs" in the truck or the jeep all the time and they take over the footpath. What you will notice is a man or woman walking their dog further up the road crossing the road to avoid the "pack". This happening all the time and it never changes.

Point I'm makin is if you came across this as a group or a guy on his own and an incident happened and gave him this letter?? well i leave you guess what would happen. I dont like it as much as you do not one bit. I love my two dogs and never leave them get to excited in front of people or other dogs. their only pups but as the get older the excitement will lead to aggression or just scare people or other dogs. But these ae the people we are dealing with. I agree with these irresponsible owners and it needs to get hold of of cause our boys and girls have bad names already