We live a couple hundred metres from a beautiful park, at the top end of which dogs are allowed to run off the lead (it is clearly signposted as such).

The thing is, my 15 year old soon has just come home quite upset due to a crazy dog jumping up on him to take his rugby ball, leaving scratches all over his legs and arms. According to Mrs SR, the woman who owns said dog lets it off the lead all the time, and it does the same thing to everyone: attacking footballs and such; jumping up on kids. It emerges that, last time my boys were at the park, the same dog bit a chunk out of their ball.

Because the city by-law says that animals are allowed off the lead in that section of park, what recourse do we have? What would you do?

Report to dog warden or use other end of park.

As a dog owner of 25 years, quite simply, without debate, dogs are allowed off lead as long as they are under control

If the dog is not under control, is being a nuisance and in this case physically causing injury then the dog owner is at fault.

I suggest you find said down owner and run towards her really fast and just jump on her, see how she likes it.

Bad dog owners give us good dog owners a bad name.

Because the city by-law says that animals are allowed off the lead in that section of park, what recourse do we have? What would you do?

I’d find somewhere else to play football/rugby keeping in the back of my mind all those ramblers/landowners who are trying to shut down areas where we can cycle.

Controlling your dog in public

Overview
Banned dogs
Public Spaces Protection Orders
Dog fouling
Report a dog
1. Overview

It’s against the law to let a dog be dangerously out of control anywhere, such as:

in a public place
in a private place, eg a neighbour’s house or garden
in the owner’s home
The law applies to all dogs.

Some types of dogs are banned.

Out of control
Your dog is considered dangerously out of control if it:

injures someone
makes someone worried that it might injure them
A court could also decide that your dog is dangerously out of control if either of the following apply:

it attacks someone’s animal
the owner of an animal thinks they could be injured if they tried to stop your dog attacking their animal
A farmer is allowed to kill your dog if it’s worrying their livestock.

Penalties
You can get an unlimited fine or be sent to prison for up to 6 months (or both) if your dog is dangerously out of control. You may not be allowed to own a dog in the future and your dog may be destroyed.

If you let your dog injure someone you can be sent to prison for up to 5 years or fined (or both). If you deliberately use your dog to injure someone you could be charged with ‘malicious wounding’.

If you allow your dog to kill someone you can be sent to prison for up to 14 years or get an unlimited fine (or both).

If you allow your dog to injure an assistance dog (e.g. a guide dog) you can be sent to prison for up to 3 years or fined (or both).

From here: https://www.gov.uk/control-dog-public/overview

I’m a dog owner and rescue fosterer for the Blue Cross, I’d call the police. People need to understand that not training their animal or taking precautions to moderate and limit its negative behaviours carries penalties.

I’d find somewhere else to play football/rugb

Pish. People that can’t control their dogs are a public nuisance, not kids playing sports.

I’ve never seen anyone being bitten by a sporty kid.

I’ve never seen anyone being bitten by a sporty kid.

Dorset & Wiltshire U16 county trial game many, many years ago. Open side flanker from Bryanston bit my arm in a ruck. He was also a pretty good sprinter, as it happens.

But, otherwise, yes. I agree.

Haha, tbf I was bitten in a scrum at U13 level. Dirty bastard.

Pish. People that can’t control their dogs are a public nuisance, not kids playing sports.

Accepting that there is a flippancy in the reply. If a section is signed as being a section where dogs are allowed off lead, it’s a pretty stupid person who would go into this area and tease the dogs with a ball. Almost as stupid as going for a walk down the trails at a bike park. Unless I’ve misunterstood the OP, the ball playing was in an area designated for dogs to be off the leads. Why would anyone even want to play ball games there will all these dogs running around and getting in the way?

Report it to the police as an attack. Hopefully the creature will be destroyed.

I would go and talk to the police about it. If you can identify the lady then the best thing is that they would go and have a chat with her. Dog sounds like it should be on a lead/muzzled (actually some training would help!).

Accepting that there is a flippancy in the reply. If a section is signed as being a section where dogs are allowed off lead, it’s a pretty stupid person who would go into this area and tease the dogs with a ball. Almost as stupid as going for a walk down the trails at a bike park. Unless I’ve misunterstood the OP, the ball playing was in an area designated for dogs to be off the leads. Why would anyone even want to play ball games there will all these dogs running around and getting in the way?

There is no such thing as an area where dogs can do as they wish, they should still be under control.

Who said they were teasing the dogs?.

Who said they were teasing the dogs?.

I’ve never seen a dog jump at a staionary ball in an aggressive manner.
EDIT: You know what? Whatever you think you’re 100% right nobeer.

You too mate, night night.

sorry I call troll

It emerges that, last time my boys were at the park, the same dog bit a chunk out of their ball.

everyone knows that “it’s never done that before”

Please note OP is in Canada so dangerous dogs act doesn’t apply. Otherwise carry on!

Sandwich – Member
Please note OP is in Canada so dangerous dogs act doesn’t apply. Otherwise carry on!

OP hasn’t lived in Canada fro 13 years. He lives in Cardiff. He just likes looking at pictures of snow and thinking about ice hockey. Thanks for looking out for me, though, Sandwich. 🙂

Threads on both bike and chat, both of which end in the same old moan about dogs. Can’t we just one anti dog thread at any given time. 😕

I’ve never seen a dog jump at a staionary ball in an aggressive manner.

So that’s it then you’ve never seen it so it can’t happen.

Just have a word with said dog owner, tell her that her dog scratched your son and you aren’t very happy about it. Emphasise the fact that you will go to the police of it happens again not just to your son but to anyone else on the park.

I wouldn`t want my kids playing where there is likely to be dog sh1t

I assume you’ve already reported this to the Police? Only they would know if the dog already has a history of attacks on folk and if it doesn’t this should be recorded in the event it happens again.

Well Cardiff does have a Hockey team. It’s a bit wet for snow though.