Don't get me started on the kids of today!! I love kids, but cannot abide today's culture of being totally focussed around them. Great, they are there, lovely, but for goodness sake parents PLEASE control them in public places! The old adage children should be seen and not heard was absolutely spot on. There is nothing more enjoyable than sitting in our local pub garden with a nice glass of Pimms, well-behaved dogs at our feet, and various friends' sprogs having a good time playing in the garden, climbing the apple tree, but being respectful and polite. How UNenjoyable when less well-parented children start screaming for this and that, moaning that they don't like the food and generally being allowed to dominate the environment. Several times I have been requested by people to remove my dogs because their children - or they themselves - don't like them!! Our response of course is to remove their kids if they are frightened of our dogs who are always far better behaved than their spoiled kids!

My daughter has ADHD but NEVER was she allowed to misbehave in public. Even now at 26 I will still rebuke her if she is out of order or obnoxious and she is about to make me a grandmother!!

Reading this thread and wavering between various conclusions I am reminded of an event a couple of years ago when I fell foul of a somewhat crazy octogenarian who averred he had a right of way through the place I was renting. He didn't and knew it but there were other reasons for his behaviour none of them my fault.

I had a locked gate put up half way down the drive; privacy and to keep the dogs off the road. The drive was roughly fenced with the addition of an electric fence and even with all this the dogs were not allowed in that drive without me but were safe behind an inner gate

One day I realised the old man was on the drive ie inside the big gate; he had already smashed countless locks etc. This time he had scaled the fence. The dogs were with me and I called the Gardai as I had been told to do.

he started threatening me with his metal crutch and then suddenly walloped the collie across her back with it. I will hear that thud and her yelp of pain until my dying day. Bless her, no aggressions; she ran to me and I put the two indoors.

he managed to get away before the Gardaí came but I sent hem round to him yet again

Next day my then landlord was round, old man was saying my dog had bit him on the ankle and e had had to go to the dr for an anti tetanus injection.. ( collie has broken teeth and he was wearing wellies, thick trousers etc.

But can you imagine how I felt... He was quite capable of lying...

The next time I had to call the Gardai to him. I told them re this. They asked what breed the dogs were and when I told them, said it would be OK. but when they came made sure they saw the dogs were pure pets and well under control

I then had a letter from his solicitor saying that my dogs could be dangerous if I set them onto someone!

he had the followed me into the field where I was allowed to walk them throwing rocks at them and yelling abuse
I just called them in and left

Thankfully no harm came of this. BUT this was no anti dog but aggression to me; he had openly vowed he was going to see me on the streets

Allegations can stick sadly and this is why this legislation needs careful handling.

There has to be some reality about people's motivation and we who know dogs need to realise this and stay calm

still feel sick when I think of that but I did the right
thing in not getting aggressive

This sounds absolutely awful - I really am sorry you were put through this, it is horrible when you don't feel safe in your own home.

I do vaguely remember your posting about this before and I recall feeling horrified then.

What happened in the end - did this sh!t head move on or did you finally move somewhere else.

You are absolutely right about legislation having to be worded very carefully. Like you I take great care and keep my dog inside the confines of our house and garden we do have a gate to our garden and a child could get in - my problem is there is a footpath running down the back of our house - not a public path, just one for others in the terrace it hasn't been used as one since I lived here - but I don't feel we can lock the gate, nor do I want it locked because of a fire or accident or whatever, so children could get in - my dog has never bitten a human but if he did bite a child in his own fenced off garden am I really responsible?

Ihope life is better for you now

I moved. I was blamed for all the "trouble" Irish rural folk being so clannish etc . After all he was 82 lived there all his life and his family before him ( cue violins!)

and there were issues re the abuse of a crowbanger and wild shooting parties and then the house broke out in toxic black mould they had painted over...

so I brought my dogs and cats to the mountains of Kerry and a much better place.. landlord made sure they dogs were under my control as he has stock, made sure his fences etc are secure and I insisted on a safe fence and locked gate. when someone ignored the private sign. we put barbed wire atop the gate
Your last para says it all. Sadly probably yes your dog would be blamed. The only way is to lock the gate or ensure that the dog is never ever out alone. You cannot trust kids

I take no risks now

rest assured that fire and ambulance folk can deal easily with locked gates. They are used to getting into places.