Dog attacks in the North West have forced police to crack down on ‘dangerous’ dogs and prevent the breeding of these animals, which have developed as a ‘threatening status within society’.
More than 22 dogs have been put down in the last few weeks as part of the clampdown on vicious domestic pets after it was reported their owners had not obeyed conditions enforced by courts.
And although dogs are blamed for their ‘vicious’ nature, many are starting to question whether the owners should be taking more responsibility for attacks.
Hannah Baker, a Dogs Trust associate, believes that it’s easy for people to blame the attacks on the breed of dog rather than poor training by the owners.
“No particular breed is any more likely to show aggression than any other breed of dog,” she said.
“It is the responsibility of the owner to ensure that their dogs are properly trained and socialised.”
According to statistics by The Health and Social Care Information Centre which records hospital admissions, more than 6,000 people were hospitalised last year as a result of a dog attacking them, of which four of those people lost their lives.
High-profile deaths have included six-day-old Eliza-Mae Mullane and 11-month old Ava-Jayne Corless, whose killings were given huge exposure in the media.
The Dangerous Dog Act is in place to try and prevent such accidents from happening but after being rushed through parliament 23 years ago it has done nothing to prevent a steady rise in the amount of attacks over the last few years.
Due to its continued enforcement, thousands of dogs have been killed while thousands more have been left to deteriorate in rescue centres due to irresponsible and absent owners.
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According to ITV’s recent two-part documentary Dangerous Dogs, which depicts the staggering rise in dog attacks in the UK, dogs are ‘underfed, abandoned, ill-treated and un-socialised dogs are everywhere’.
It suggested these are the ‘main causes behind Britain’s dangerous dog problem’.
Nick Statham, a Dogs Trust volunteer from Stockport, believes it’s wrong to blame the dogs for an owners neglect.
“It seems like a very simple and lazy decision to come up with a blanket rule like that,” he said.
“It’s heart-breaking really, as the dogs are suffering for human failings.”
Mr Statham, who has worked alongside a variety of dog breeds, also said: “I don’t think vicious dogs should simply be put down.
“Experts in dog behaviour can work with the animals, addressing this dangerous behaviour.
“This process takes time as they have to win back the trust of dogs that may have been mistreated or deliberately ‘trained’ to be aggressive.”
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The documentary saw a Staffordshire Bull Terrier being led away from its home by dog wardens without misbehaving or trying to cause harm.
It was made clear that most dog attacks occur within the home, and the victim is generally the owner.
The documentary also showed one small house overrun with Staffordshire bull terriers, who were allowed to defecate indoors, while a puppy was removed from a new litter because it was close to death as a result of the terrible living conditions.
Angela Archbold, a dog lover from Durham, believes dogs often only retaliate for being mistreated.
“If the owner of a dog or another person was about to strike a dog as punishment and the dog retaliated, the dog should not be punished yet the dog gets the blame every time,” she said.
Ms Archbold, who has an infant daughter, added: “My staffie, Portia, absolutely loves my daughter.
“They are going to be the best of friends. I know numerous people who have staffies or pit-bulls and are brought up alongside children and are the most loving, loyal dogs you could find.
“All dogs need is to be treated right, love them like they are your children and they will be fine.”
Whilst dangerous dogs must be dealt with appropriately, there are alternatives to putting them down according to Mr Statham.
“I’d like to see the situation improved, with more severe penalties for those who mistreat dogs and perhaps a return to dog licensing,” he said.
“People taking on dogs for the status or as some sort of ‘hard-man’ accessory have to be stopped.
“Some dogs have the potential to be more dangerous than others simply due to their size and power but I believe that people are nearly always to blame for ‘dog attacks’.
“Either the dog has been mistreated and thus has developed ‘people aggression’ or a dog has been left alone,” he said.
“Behind each story of a dog attack is usually a story of mistreatment or neglect.”
Ashley Grime from Liverpool shared the memory of her brother being attacked by a dog.
“Bradley was bitten on the backside…by a Jack Russell”, she told MM.
“He was pushing my baby sister who was just weeks old at the time in her pram, when next door opened their front door and this Jack Russell ran out, grabbed onto his bum and literally swung off him.”
Ms Grime, who believes that the nature of a dog is due to the way it is treated, added: “the owners were told that the dog should be put down, so they had it put down.”
Despite this she feels that the stereotypes around dogs need to be abolished.
“If a dog has a loving family, and is given plenty of food and attention then it will grow into a perfectly trustworthy companion,” she said.
Ms Baker, of the Dogs Trust, believes that owners must do more for the situation to improve and that we have only ourselves to blame.
“The manner in which a dog is reared and trained is the greatest factor that influences the likelihood of aggression,” she said.
“Owners have a responsibility to train and supervise their dogs properly.”
Image courtesy of Spot Us, via Flickr, with thanks
