Another case of a dog attack so sad, police have no powers to destroy????

Really feel for the family, this should never have happened.

A two-year-old girl has been mauled by a dog in Dorset, but police have no powers to destroy the animal as the attack occurred at the owners' home.

I'm confused, if this was a Rotti, GSD, Mastiff etc then it would have been taken and PTS. So basically because it was a Westie and on private property nothing can be done?

Quote: A police spokesman said: "In this incident, the Dangerous Dogs Act does not give the police powers to take any further action.

"This is because the attack took place on private property that belonged to the dog's owner.

Well isn't this the case with the majority of attacks?

Full story here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-14331673

I don't know what happened, whether the dog was provoked or not but if they will "destroy" some breeds because of this then surely the same should be done for all dogs that are "guilty" of doing it

I'm glad in a way that some of the media do report little dog attacks although I would be happier if it never happened at all . By reporting the little cases it may remove some of the stigma associated with the larger breeds, hopefully the non doggy world will start to realise all dogs can be capable of it for some reason or another an not just the larger breeds, no dog should be left alone with children.

And no ones going to make a big who har about it because the dog isnt a staffordshire bull terror/pit/rotwiler -.-


no of course not becaue all westies are saints rights??

I just edited to add extra in basically saying what you said , it has really bugged me that had this been a larger dog it would have been taken regardless of whether the attack happened on private property or not!

Like you say had this been a big dog then the public would be baying for it to be PTS but a cute little westie will get away with it.

I know we dont know the full ins and outs but then we never do and big dogs or bull breeds still get PTS for this kind of thing.

So sad for that poor little girl this happened to me with my Uncles Cairn Terrier many years ago and they would not have it put down and turned up on the doorstep with said dog a week later after it attacked me.

It leapt on me while I was eating a biscuit totally unprovoked. It was very spolied.

I almost lost the top pf my lip thankfully it was stitched well and I have only a faint scar now but mentally I was scarred and terrified of dogs till a teenager and my sister moved out and got her own dog and I learnt to trust dogs.

I hope this little girl will be able to move on and is not left with awful scars mentally or physically.

I whole heartedly agree a large dog of a particular type would of been PTS by now whether owners wished it or not.

Her injuries are horrific

The police have no power to takeaway any breed other than the 4 illegal ones and their types. So a GSD/RTW/Mastiff etc would not be taken for an attack on private property as private proprty is not covered under the DDA as stated. Private property is covered under the Dogs Act 1871, which the police could use if they really wanted to but it would go through a civil court.

It's a fact that even a little dog like a Westie can still do enormous damage - people think "aaaah, isn't it sweet", but look at the size of their teeth!!

ALL dogs can bite, and many do. The facts are that the DAMAGE a small dog can do is usually much less than a large dog as of course they are smaller, weigh less, have smaller jaws and teeth.

Really? Not been my experience or any other person's that I know.

NO breed is a "saint" just as no "person" is!

What makes you think the size of the dog has any relation to whether or not a dog is "taken" or not, and why do you think that private property comes under the DDA?