Well as always - I don't blame the dog. It's about time people realise a dog cannot just be kept in the house - took for the occasional walk and learn just sit and paw. The problem is, us responsible owners are trying to show them all that dogs can be turned around and be good dogs - even those not yet on the DDA but then there are those who thing "hard dog" who are letting the breeds down - it's sad really and ridiculous.

The other thing about the report is that there are two other dog attacks towards the bottom "in a string of dog attacks" but no report of those two anywhere in the media before. It's strange how they word it too and how they don't know details but are more than adamant that it was that exact breed and that it was nothing less than "savage"...what next?

the other thing Ive wondered about is why broadcast it when relatives havn't yet been informed

Same reason as when one of the forces are killed or someone is killed in a RTA.............

It is news and unless the media are specifically requested NOT to report on it, they will.

I saw two staffies yesterday in town as well - a male and a female - wonder why the male wasn't neutered

Just googled 'Belgian Mastiff' like a few other people...and wow, the range of pics it brings up!
Bullmastiffs/Mastiffs/Neapolitan Mastiffs etc!

Someone posted a link recently on Dogsey to a site Belgiandogbreed.info" (or similar -I can't actually find it). I seem to recall it said somethimg about efforts being made to revive the breed.

Heard the story on the news this morning. I can't help it, but my first thought is "how was the dog treated."

Nothing wrong in taking dogs through town,Tyler and Meg are often walked through our town,both onleads and walking to heel.
My boy is not neutered does that automatically make me irresponsible ?
My boy is entire down to our choice.
Looking at Meg you wouldn't know if she was entire or spayed

Terrible News,we were up quite late last night and heard the news break on Sky.
Details are a bit vague so I suppose we will have to wait to find out what exactly happened.

Ditto, I have male and a female dog, the male is entire and they occasionally go into town........................

Oh Sorry Sal - you know I don't think you or anyone else on here with a Staffie is irresponsible, just how the people spoke and acted made me thing that they were a breeding pair. I couldn't tell you if the female was done or not - well no one can

I didn't suggest there was anything wrong with them walking through town of course they were at the end of their leads and barking at people and of course pulling their owners all over the place...

I take Louie through town sometimes when we're just going to the pet shop, so he can have some socialisation in a strange place...although he only goes if we are only going to the pet shops as he chases pigeons and now knows he can pull me over (of course he isn't a Staffie)

Apparently the next of kin must have been informed now, as the media have announced her name to be Barbarah Williams. This is not going to do well for all the other mastiff type dogs out there that need homes just like rocky our mastiff x rottweiler we currently have in rescue (see snow video under videos section ) This had to come up just as the big rescues have been campaigning hard to get the dangerous dogs act changed.
I just hope and pray it does not have a repeat of when the pitbull/staffie x attacked and mauled the child in merseyside, there was a huge operation to seize dogs fitting under the dangerous dogs act, many were taken from their loving families and destroyed just because they fitted a desciption. Most (the high majority) were completely innocent, having been kept as family pets and spoilt rotten - whilst the dog-fighters who sneak around and treat their dogs terribly got away with it!

I wonder what happened to make a dog react in the way it did? Perhaps she passed out, or fell ill and the dog simply panicked and tried to wake her up. This has happened before.

They have been crossing Pit Bulls, Stafford and Bullmastiffs with Presa's, Cane Corso's etc to try and "recreate" this breed for ages! Silly devils, was always going to happen.