I think it was an educated guess given that the same pictures are wheeled out every single time there is a story title "DANGEROUS DOGS". I think if the dogs in the pictures were dangerous they probably would have been pts by now. those pictures have been running for a couple of years now in different publications.

Anyway - missing the point of the thread really.

Hi Baxter,it must be upsetting especially as you have one of your own,at least we are not going down the route of some states in Australia,they are killing dingos,because they rate them as a danger to the public,the only reason they are a danger is people have settled and built houses on the areas where dingo's used to roam free,
We have the dangerous dog act,and the staffy type seems to be the number one target,despite the fact that a lot of families find them loyal and loving,just because a few are found to be aggresive it doesnt mean that they all are.Gemini54

It is really upsetting. I posted on here recently about a woman in the area that "loathes staffies" and others have posted about the unfair reception their beloved dogs get. In the past it was GSDs, dobermans, rottweillers and now staffies.

Maybe I am just being naieve and overly sensitive about them, I've met so many and they really are so daft, it's such a shame when the BBC, who really should know better, roll out an unrepresentative image over and over without a thought, it's just lazy journalism I think.

Absolutely tragic about the dingos in Australia - fantastic characters those dogs.

I know the dog in question and the situation it was taken.
It was taken at a KC dog show.
The owners have worked hard at having it removed from the Alamo stock but there are still some saved photos out there.
You don't see it as much now.

I've thought in relation to the frequent use of this pic what the reaction would be if every time a story about a violent crime was reported (and the reporters didn't have photos of the culprit) they used the same stock photo of, say, a totally innocent white or coloured man or woman who was pulling an angry face - just to add impact to their story?

Of course there would be outrage and they'd never be allowed to do it. But seems the same thing to me!

Even here in Cyprus when the brown stuff hit the fan and the banks went t*ts up it must have been SO disappointing for the reporters that people weren't panicking or even queueing outside banks. They used the same couple of stock photos of queues at ATMs for most stories. And they kept putting up a pic of what looked like a tramp with bare feet and a can of lager sitting on the steps outside a bank lol!

Someone posted to the local paper saying 'did they advertise for a 'deadbeat or homeless person' for these photos?

Because, to be honest, you just don't see people like that much in Cyprus and certainly not sitting outside the banks!

The other thing they do here is ALWAYS mention the ethnicity of a wrongdoer if they are a 'foreigner' but not mention it at all if it is a Cypriot! Just the fact that it is not mentioned is good enough to assure you it was a Cypriot! But to those not in the know, you'd be forgiven for thinking that Cypriots themselves hardly ever commit any crimes at all!

True the owners were not happy with the opt true being used but it was taken in a public place.

Before I read the rest of the serious stuff...that really made me chuckle! I only know one person with a bum as big as those photos....unfortunate really as her body seemed quite small!

Cheers for that is the point of the thread though as discussion all about pictures and applying predetermined ideas to them


Ididnt think that was apicture of an aggressive staffie but wondered also how and why people thought it was asneezing staffie? just curious

God I'd be furious if that was my dog! It's so obviously sneezing! My friend noticed a picture of her Akita used to highlight an article about an Akita that bit a child when the child tried to stroke it when it was tied up outside a shop. My friend was livid particularly as her Akita has quite unique markings and she has built up a very good business in dog walking, day car and holiday boarding with all sorts of dogs coming to her home. The last she needed was one of her dogs being linked with an aggressive incident. Journalists are so irresponsible it makes me mad!

I know the dog is sneezing because someone had queried the photograph and said that they had been at an outdoor show and seen the dog sneeze as the photograph was taken.

And yes it is an Alamy stock photograph.


Proof enough for you?