Dog attack

[Lily]

Rosco and I were just attacked by 3 greyhound/lurcher type dogs. They were off the lead and their owner was taking photos of them. One ran towards us and I said hello; then it started barkinng furiously, leapt up at me and bit me. Fortunately as I was wearing a thick coat only tore a hole in my cuff. The other 2 which leapt on poor Schnook were muzzled. The owner kept apologising, saying they were rescues, they're just being noisy, the one that bit me was a rescue and had been attacked by a human, so was nervous, he was just nipping me; she didn't hear us arrive, she had a muzzle for the one whch bit in her bag, she'd only just got there... it's the breed...

Poor R was terrified and I was screaming trying to get them off him.

I was in shock and frightened. I just kept saying her dog should be muzzled and if she can't control them - LIKE IF THEY LEAP ON ANOTHER DOG - they should be on leads.We ran away and I burst into tears, then saw these other people walking with off-lead dogs in her direction so I sprinted back to warn them, and they decided not to go that way. They were v kind and gave me a coffee they were holding.

I rang 101 and have reported it. I feel bad as I don't blame the dogs, etc., but I can't stop thinking what would have happened if I hadn't been wearing a thick coat; if I'd been a child; if the other 2 hadn't been muzzled.

We are both upset so are back home cuddling each other.

Did I do the right thing? I just need a bit of comfort really. Sorry

[Texaco Shirley]

That sounds terrifying Lily. Is there a local dog warden you could ring?

[Lily]

I reported it to the police (non emergency) as I thought they might get there quickly and catch the woman if she's still there they said they would send someone out and also tell the neighbourhood police. Problem is I don't have her name or a photo so I am not much use unless they find her still there.

[Bendywendywoo]

That's so frightening Lily, it sounds like you did exactly the right thing. Its the breed is just wrong, they can be the most gentle if creatures. But since there's was an aggressive one they should have kept him muzzled and on the damn lead!

I hope you are ok, be kind to yourself!

[ParisGal]

How terrifying

If she honestly thought it was bred to attack then there's even less excuse for not having it muzzled.

[Disco]

That sounds awful, Lily. I'm so sorrry for you and poor Rosco. I don't understand dog owners who allow their dogs to do this. I'm always being jumped on and casual "Oh he's being friendly" doesn't cut it when there's muddy paw prints and acutal claw scratches down my legs etc.

Sorry I got a bit side tracked by my own issues with owners. I think you did the right thing. Three greyhounds is quite a good description anyway.

[rosy]

How awful for you. You definitely did the right thing by getting away and reporting it. Look after yourself & Roscoe.

[Little My]

Three greyhounds is quite a good description anyway.

Yes, it is! That certainly narrows it down.

So scary. I do worry about bad encounters with random dogs/dog owners. There is no excuse for having that dog off-leash in a public area.

[Disco]

Have you got a local Facebook page? Not to put a thread up but to search to see if anyone else has had an issue with this person? On my town page there are always posts about dogs and bad owners..you might get a name or insight if it's happened before?

[Texaco Shirley]

Have you got a local Facebook page? Not to put a thread up but to search to see if anyone else has had an issue with this person? On my town page there are always posts about dogs and bad owners..you might get a name or insight if it's happened before?

That’s a good point about FB. There might be a local dog walkers group as well.

[Glint]

How terrible for you both, I hope you are both recovering with cuddles and a snooze.

I echo about FB, whenever someone posts they’ve had a run in with a dog and/ or owner, several others also reply saying the same. I’m pleased you reported it to 101, ad that will give them evidence if it’s happened before for any further reports.

[Princess Morripov]

That sounds awful, Lily. I'm so sorrry for you and poor Rosco. I don't understand dog owners who allow their dogs to do this. I'm always being jumped on and casual "Oh he's being friendly" doesn't cut it when there's muddy paw prints and acutal claw scratches down my legs etc.

Absolute same Diccy. Me and a friend walk through the woods twice a week and there is ALWAYS an incident with a dog, and usually a fuckwit owner who won’t accept responsibility. I don’t want to have to wash my fucking coat after every walk because it’s got paw prints on it.

I’m sorry Lily, that sounds horrible and I do think posting into a local group would be a good idea too.

[Chicky]

That’s horrible Lily, you poor thing. Having had a similar incident last week also involving a sighthound I can fully understand how scary it was, and particularly having R with you too. I hope he’s ok - poor thing.

The dangerous dogs act is quite clear on this - owners need to have their dog under control, and you also don’t need to actually be bitten, just feel unsafe. Obviously you did get bitten which is horrible but for anyone else who regularly gets dogs leaping up, you don’t need to prove aggression for it to be an offence.

I loathe dog owners who don’t take accountability or have their dogs on leads when they clearly should

[Disco]

My friends laugh at an incident of me wailing-seething "That dog raked me!" with claw marks down the lenth of my shins as I was wearing a skirt. Apparently that dog was "only playing".

[Margo]

Poor you, and Rosco!

You absolutely did the right thing; as you know I have dogs myself and like to think they’re well trained and well behaved, well, 3 of the 5 are!, but I would NEVER let any of them off lead in a public place!

You just don’t know; something could spook them, even a lovely dog has the potential to turn.

I’m glad you’re both ok x

[Lily]

Thank you all. We're both still shaky so have come to my mum and dad's for a bit of comforting. R just followed me around all day like my little shadow but he seems a bit better now, less subdued.

I hesitated about putting it on FB because I didn't want to start a witch-hunt but I did put something on our local page. Nobody has said they know who this person is thusfar but she will obviously stick out with 3 very big dogs so hopefully she'll be identified soon if the police didn't find her. Good point about the dog walking group, I'll take a look tomorrow. I did try searching for her on FB in case she's done a post about her dogs.

Diccers, I'm sorry your friends laugh at you. It's not funny, it's really scary and I speak as a dog lover. I don't want muddy paws on my clothes let alone claws on my shins. I keep R on a lead if I see other dogs because I don't know what they're like: he is never nasty but occasionally he feels like being friendly and you never know what the other dog will do. That dog may not want to be friendly back. The way this one came up I thought it was so it was a real shock when they all turned on us.

[TracyA]

I'm sorry Lily, that must have been scary. Arlo is quite a placid dog, and much better off the lead than on it, but he gets scared if more than one dog at a time pay attention to him, even in a friendly way and gets quite snarly. Generally, if he is off lead and we pass a dog on a lead, I tell him to 'keep going' and he gives a wide berth and carries on his way, however, I'm very aware that my good natured dog, is actually an animal, so I'm always ready with the lead in case he ignores me. To have dogs who need muzzles off lead in a public place seems totally irresponsible. I hope the incident has made that dog owner think twice about having them offlead.

I tend to do the same walks in a rotation and know a lot of the local walkers and dogs, and I generally know which ones are going to jump up at me. The owners are usually quite good, and apologetic, and as I say, I don't wear my best clothes to walk my dog, but I would be so embarrassed if Arlo jumped up on anyone else, especially a non dog walker !

I hope you are both ok.

[Kleio]

Gosh Lily that sounds awful and it's no wonder you're still shaken.

Bobby was very reactive so rarely off the lead and we had off lead dogs attack him on a couple of occasions and I remember how terrifying it was. I hope the police find the owner and she does better in future.

[Lily]

Thank you, we are both OK now. I rang the police and not surprisingly they didn't go out and find the woman but they took it to the neighbourhood police and the council. I was talking about it at Pilates last night and one of the women there said she'd also been bitten by one of them! So people will keep an eye out. I am going to stalk dog walking groups today.