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Location: Suffolk, England
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,529
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03-01-2007, 03:42 PM
I agree 100% but will it happen?
A five year old girl has died, what has her life been worth if nothing is done? and if a prosecution is brought and a smart lawyer gets the owner aquited:-
"He wasn't at the scene m'lud"
"He bought the dog in a pub m'lud"
"He didn't know it was a Pit Bull type m'lud"
"He's unemployed, from a poor familly, and has learning difficulties m'lud"
The list of excuses just goes on and on and on.
I don't think the 'justice' system will ever change.
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Location: South West, UK
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 42
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03-01-2007, 04:14 PM
Originally Posted by Losos 
Sprocker - You said "I think it is time irresponsible owners of any out of control and aggressive dog are held to account for their lack of training, socialisation and their general ignorance"
I agree 100% but will it happen?
A five year old girl has died, what has her life been worth if nothing is done? and if a prosecution is brought and a smart lawyer gets the owner aquited:-
"He wasn't at the scene m'lud"
"He bought the dog in a pub m'lud"
"He didn't know it was a Pit Bull type m'lud"
"He's unemployed, from a poor familly, and has learning difficulties m'lud"
The list of excuses just goes on and on and on.
I don't think the 'justice' system will ever change.
Whatever the law will throw at him (probably very little) I am sure he will have to live the rest of his life looking at his relatives and knowing he was ultimately responsible for his neice losing her life.
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Location: UK
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,247
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03-01-2007, 04:23 PM
Originally Posted by Sprocker
I think it is time irresponsible owners of any out of control and aggressive dog are held to account for their lack of training, socialisation and their general ignorance.
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Location: UK
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,602
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03-01-2007, 04:37 PM
Originally Posted by Pita
Lets stop looking for excuses, if we do not learn to understand dog behaviour and control our dogs, all dogs, no matter what breed, will be the subject of control and in the end most people will not be able to own a dog at all.
As Pita also points out, I can very easily see a time in the really not too distant future, when the types of dog that we are all allowed to own with be severely restricted, or limits will be placed on who can own all dogs. I fear that we are no more than half a dozen or so moderately rapid succession incidents such as this away before people will be pressuring the Govt. to act in order to protect their children, and the Govt. rarely sit on their backsides when child safety is an issue.
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Location: Suffolk, England
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,529
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03-01-2007, 04:58 PM
I think I understand what you are saying and there is an element of 'Big Brother' and the omnipotent nanny state mentality about any law which prevented people from owning a dog.
But, I started to think to myself, wouldn't it nice if there were some kind of 'barrier' to owning a dog. I'm sure you & the other Dogsey members wouldn't have the slightest problem passing that 'barrier' and just think how it would look, walking a couple of GSD's down the street or in the Park.
While the unsociable, criminal element looked on in envy.
Yes, I know it wouldn't work........................... or would it?
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Location: Preesall, Lancashire
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,622
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03-01-2007, 05:03 PM
Originally Posted by IsoChick
The problem is that dog licences won't work.
The police have a hard enough job catching people driving without licences etc. How are they (or any other agency) going to check and enforce this?
Plus, all the responsible owners (like us) who buy their dogs from reputable breeders, or rescue their dogs, have them chipped, insured, vet registered etc; will be the ones to buy a dog licence.
The irresponsible "chavs" who buy dogs from a "man down the pub", backyard breeder etc who don't care about their welfare and only got a dog to look "hard", won't buy a licence because they don't want to/can't be bothered/don't care.
Then you've got the problem of some sort of tax increase/monies being taken from elsewhere to fund the licensing system, which people will object to.
I think all breeders should be licensed, the same way as pet shops are licensed. But again, you've still got to enforce the law/licensing side of it.
Really, I don't see what the government can do, realistically, without upsetting a section of people. They are "damned" either way...
There's always going to be some sort of "fashionable" dog to have if you're a wannabe. For hard people, its a staffie, or a rottie etc, for wannabe models, its ridiculously small chi's or yorkies, and then there's the labradoodle-type dogs. Pedigree/KC reg crossbreeds....
Hah!
Even having to pass a test to own a dog... if the breeder is not licensed in some way, and you decide not to take the test, an unlicensed, unscrupulous breeder will just sell you a dog anyway.
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Location: Suffolk, England
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,529
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03-01-2007, 05:08 PM
BTW If you, or anyone on Dogsey are ever in court (Just joking
) Always, but always opt for trial by jury, the statistics are unbelevable
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Location: Suffolk, England
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,529
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03-01-2007, 05:19 PM
"Even having to pass a test to own a dog... if the breeder is not licensed in some way, and you decide not to take the test, an unlicensed, unscrupulous breeder will just sell you a dog anyway"
How about a series of tests, spaced at six month intervals, with the issue of a photocard on passing. I understood that we almost have the technology to make an 'uncopyable' card.
That card being compulsory to carry when walking with your dog(s)
If the Police were patrolling they could just ask for the card.
Seems simple enough to me but I know in my heart there would be some probs like you say.
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Location: Poodle Heaven!
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 14,297
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03-01-2007, 05:22 PM
Becky
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Location: Preesall, Lancashire
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,622
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03-01-2007, 05:24 PM
Originally Posted by Losos
How about a series of tests, spaced at six month intervals, with the issue of a photocard on passing. I understood that we almost have the technology to make an 'uncopyable' card.
That card being compulsory to carry when walking with your dog(s)
If the Police were patrolling they could just ask for the card.
Seems simple enough to me but I know in my heart there would be some probs like you say.
Originally Posted by Mahooli
I think the biggest start, and more easy to undertake, is that all dogs are permenantly identified. If you get caught with out having permenant identification you have 7 days to do it or you are prosecuted. They don't even enforce having to have a tag on your dogs collar which is law.
Becky
I think stuff like this is a good idea, but can you imagine the uproar if the Govt told us we'd all have to pay £100+ for tests and a photocard?
Also, I've never seen the police or a dog warden out where I live (in the sticks) so could I get away without carrying a card or having identification on my dog?
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