Dogs Off Leads

[supersuezy24]

I'm quite upset, I'm just back from the park about an hour or so now after walking my dog,
As I was crossing over one of the fields I seen this man strolling along the path reading a piece of paper then all of a sudden this huge dog was running at me, I panicked for my own dog who is much smaller so i bent down to pick my dog up and this dog just jumped on me growling. I jumped up and went to run off with my dog but this dog kept going for me not my dog. The man who was reading the piece of paper walked over calling the dog and telling me the dog was harmless. I was quite upset and asked him was it his dog, he said yes at which point the dog jumped up at me again going for my arm.
I screamed at the man to get his f-ing dog away from me. He told me to calm down that I should f*cking relax. He didn't even have a lead to put the dog on!! At this point the tears were flowing and i turned around and shouted at the man that his dog was dangerous and that he should have his f*cking dog on a lead.

This man didn't give a sh!t, he had no lead for his dog. He was in a public park with this dog, A lot of families go to this park what if that dog went for a small child??
Is there any law etc about dogs been on leads in public parks or should I complain to the park attendant or can he do anything??

Sorry if have repeated myself..just a bit upset and wound up :(

[lardhelmet]

Hi suezy - Our warden said to phone the police and repprt it as it can be classed as a dangerous dog, and especially as it wasn't on a lead and could have attacked a child!

[redcrx]

no harm in complaining to the park warden if there is one.
I hope that you feel calmer soon.

I hate it when people allow their dogs to run at and jump on people who have no idea if the dog is safe or not.

I had a dog run up to me and little CRX on way to school, it got out of a garden across the street and ran at us barking. It stopped about 3ft from us and continued to bark, little CRX was pushed behind me immediately. But the owner just stood and watched, halfheartedly calling the dog but not coming out as she was in her dressing gown.

The dog eventually ran away but not before the woman told me to "grab it"

erm no i am not going to grab some random dog, i would also never expect my child to. You never know what some dogs could do.

[supersuezy24]

Thats's what bothers me too though redcrx, The stupid irresponsible owners who say in their stupid bloody tone "Oh he's harmless" or "he doesn't bite". Just bloody take care of your dog!!!

Lardy, I don't know where he lives or what his name was though so the police might think I'm wasting their time?

[lardhelmet]

Suezy - if he's in the park regularly, at a certain time of day for instance, they can patrol and, hopefully, catch him with the loose dog

[lankeela]

Here is a link to the official DEFRA leaflet:

http://www.defra.gov....dogslawyouleaflet.pdf

However unless you can identify the owner/dog there is not much either the police or the local authority can do. If you can go to the park with someone else (without your dog) maybe you can identify the man and his dog. It is not against the law to have a dog off the lead in a public park (unless there is a specific bylaw in force) but they should be 'under control'.

Hope you get something sorted, unfortunately people like this give all dog owners a bad name.

[sometimesit]

This long post highlights what I have experienced myself. Some people with aggressive and excitable dogs don't know much about how to manage them let alone control them. The think the dog is safe because 'they' love the dog but don't understand that not everybody can cope with dogs for whatever reason. If anyones dog upsets someone then the person in charge of the dog should be capable of stopping the dog doing whatever it is doing. Unfortunately they either can't of don't excerise control of the dog.
Always report the person as they probably will return and a repeat situation with someone else. Then there will be a history of this bad dog onwership. I fell very sorry for the dog having and owner/keeper like this.
There are some fantastic dog owners out there and it is a shame there are these poor specimens are well. (I haven't got a dog by the way)
When a dog goes for you it is very shocking.

[supersuezy24]

Actually I've just remembered about twice maybe 2 weeks ago seeing two Gardai (Police) cycling in the park although I don't think they were patrolling as such... But I can ask the park warden later.