So I got attacked by a massive angry and out of control dog last night cycling home from work. Was on a very popular bridleway just off the SDW. Not going to bore you with details but I managed to get away without being bitten but it was touch and go and I really thought I might get seriously damaged. Luckily it wasn’t my first rodeo and I did enough to calm the dog down so the owner could get to it but quite frankly it could have gone either way.

Now I’m not here for a discussion with dog apologists – This situation with dogs is clearly getting out of hand – I mean I wake up to yet another fatal attack in the news today. I’ve been cycling for over 40 years and this last few years the amount of times I’m threatened by dogs has risen exponentially – I mean almost every ride there will be an episode of some kind where a dog will jump up even if it just wants to play – This rarely used to happen, perhaps once in a dozen rides. I simply don’t want to deal with this.

In my opinion this particular owner has assaulted me with an offensive weapon and should be treated as you would treat any other violent assault. My question is what do you do?  I asked for her name and address but she obviously declined and walked off with a very angry dog she could barely control. Going after her is impossible for two reasons, one she has a massive dog which is itching to take a chunk out of me and two, it could be construed that I am presenting a danger to her by following her and she was just protecting herself with her hound.

Do I call the police? But then what….she’s gone, I’m shaking (with anger mainly as well as adrenaline) but undamaged…..this is how these arseholes get away with it. There must be a way to get these people surely? Any ideas greatfullr recived as long as they are not along the lines of  stop cycling if you can’t deal with it!    It shouldn’t be my problem.

Like this:

Oh here we go again
Biscuits?! 🙈

@marksnook yes, here we go again – perhaps there might be a reason for that do you think?

Anyway, if you’ve nothing to add, off you pop.

Report it.

Dog walkers are creatures of habit and often use the same spot.

If enough folk report it, the police will take it more seriously.

Take picture of dog, maybe owner if can and then engage with the police sounds like the best option IMO

Good advice from oikeith, then try and forget about it until next time

when I was bitten by a dog that pulled itself out of the hands of the girl walking it to run across the road to try take a chunk out of my kidneys I took a photo of the dog and ‘owner’ (or owners’ daughter as I found out) and contacted both plod to report it and living in a village a local dog owner I know who I was confident would know who the owners were.

The owners were soon in touch and deal struck between us both and plod was that their dog would not be walked by anyone not able to hang onto the lead, they were to take it (and themselves) to an agreed trainer and that it must be muzzled whenever out in public. AFAIK this was all and continues to be done.

I’ve never reported any of the countless “he’s just being friendly” / “he’s scared of bikes” / “you shouldn’t have moved” nonsense I’ve had further from home where I’d have no hope of tracking down the owner

I’ll be honest, I’ve noticed a lot more badly behaved ‘owners’ out there who haven’t trained the dogs. I had blood taken from my calf a few months ago after a dog went for me (on a lead), and recently more dogs going for me as I cycle past on the road. What if I’d have been a child !

Bugger all you can do other than the local village ‘idiots’ page on facebook if you get a photo. Report it, but what’s going to happen, nothing.

OP, ignore all the “bad owner” and “you need to learn how to behave near dogs” apologists who will be along shortly. I agree with you 100%, things are indeed getting out of hand.

As above, photo of dog and owner, and report to the old bill. The owner has committed an offence Under section 3(1) of the 1991 Act (as amended by the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

Richards Bicycle Book has some advice: use the bike as a shield and a squirt from the water bottle have both served me well.

BUT, this shouldn’t be necessary, the bloody animals should be under control in the first place.

Alex

@winston sorry it was a joke as this thread comes up pretty often. If I made you feel triggered by the standard joke that gets used everytime this subject comes up I apologise.

As a dog owner I guess I’m biased. Small dog is a **** so stays on a short lead with warnings over his harness and lead. Labrador loves everyone, which actually creates a problem in a different way because not everyone wants to meet a happy dog. So she largely stays on lead

As for my opinion of what to do in your situation, photos? Film the dog/owner? Actually report it to the police like you would any other crime?

This thread is likely to turn into one side hating on dogs the other side liking dogs. Some dogs are triggered by noises/ movements. Some aren’t. It is the owners responsibility to deal with this accordingly.
If you didn’t actually get bitten I think assault with an offensive weapon is a stretch but the law does state dogs should be under control

Yeh photo, location and time to the local authority dog wardens might be worth a shot of you can get one. From speaking to ours in the past (work related) the police usually just pass that sort of stuff into them, unless I assume, there was serious attack.

Report it to the police via 111. They wont do anything other than record it, but if this dog does happen to bite someone or worse in future then at leas you have given the details to build the picture.
I have 2 dogs and they can be boisterous and loud and intimidating if you don’t know me or them. For that reason I keep them on leads when there are other people or dogs about or there is a chance of encountering someone. Not because I think they will do anything but more to allow others to go about their business without having to deal with them.
I also have experience of being bitten by a dog (Akita) resulting in a DVT and 3 months on anticoagulants, so I can see this from both sides of the fence. However if your dog is off the lead and you cannot get it back reasonably then you are not in control of it.

Those cute little puppies bought in the early days of Covid are now full sized adult dogs. If the owners are crap and didn’t train them well then anyone near them is going to be an interesting distractions or a potential toy for the dog.

I love dogs but dog owners are often less intelligent than the dogs

Take picture of dog, maybe owner if can and then engage with the police sounds like the best option IMO

^ this. I was having problems with an aggressive dog going for me several times, but owner never in the vicinity. Was happening in woodland and owner was good at hiding. Eventually it went for me while owner was close by. Did it’s best to bite me (only managed to nip my ankle), words exchanged, photos taken despite threats from owner to me, reported to police. Tracked down owner via Facebook, I supplied details to police who had a word.

What if I’d have been a child !

And that’s the reason I report them. Above incident was on designated bike trails in an area popular with young families, so it could just as easily have happened to a kid as it did to me.

In my opinion this particular owner has assaulted me with an offensive weapon and should be treated as you would treat any other violent assault.

Might want to adjust your perspective, that flight of fantasy is only going to leave you disappointed.

Take Richard’s advice?

“If the dog attacks: one defense is aerosol pepper sprays made for this purpose. They have a range of about ten feet and are light enough to clip to your handlebars. A water pistol loaded with a water-amonia solution will also work but is a good deal less convenient. If you have neither of these and can’t or won’t climb a tree get a stick or a large rock. No? The bicycle pump. Try to ram it down his throat. In any event, don’t cower or cover up, because the dog will only chew you to ribbons. Attack. Any small dog can simply be hoisted up by the legs and his brains dashed out. With a big dog you are fighting for your life. If you are weaponless try to tangle him up in your bike and then strangle him. Kicks to the genitals and which break ribs are effective. If you have got a pump or a stick hold it at both ends and offer it up to the dog horizontally. Often the dog will bit the stick/pump and hang on. Immediately lift the dog up and deliver a very solid kick to the gemitals. Follow up with breaking the dogs ribs or crushing its head with a rock. If worst comes to worst ram your entire arm down its throat. He will choke and die. Better your arm than your throat.”

In my opinion this particular owner has assaulted me with an offensive weapon and should be treated as you would treat any other violent assault.

I’m really not a dog fan but IMO you’re wrong, the owner is (potentially) guilty of negligence and failure to control their dangerous dog but not “Assault” you’ve jumped a couple of steps ahead of the law and escalated the crime beyond what you could credibly provide evidence/testimony for.

Do I call the police?

Yes, but there are limits, be prepared for no useful action to be taken. All you can really say is that on a given date/time there was an out of control dog on a Bridleway. You can’t give details of the owner as they refused to provide that information (as is their right TBF) and you were absolutely right not to challenge escalate under those circumstances you could easily get “Karrened” into an arrest yourself, getting a bit insistent with a stranger in a remote location. The value of reporting it to the police is to get the incident logged and ensure that the police can’t claim a lack of awareness when that same dog rips off a toddler’s face in the same location…

You will not achieve any sort of resolution/satisfaction for your incident I’m afraid. But out of control dogs do need reporting with whatever limited information is available. Establishing patterns of behaviour, flagging incidents by date/time/location and generally documenting the impunity dangerous dog owners operate with is important.

@dogapologist (various)
<h2>Common Assault – s.39 Criminal Justice Act 1988</h2>
An assault is any act (and not mere omission to act) by which a person intentionally or recklessly causes another to suffer or apprehend immediate unlawful violence.

The term assault is often used to include a battery, which is committed by the intentional or reckless application of unlawful force to another person. Where there is a battery, the defendant should be charged with ‘assault by beating’: DPP v Little [1992] QB 645. Provided there has been an intentional or reckless application of unlawful force the offence will have been committed, however slight the force.

Assault, as distinct from battery, can be committed by an act indicating an intention to use unlawful violence against the person of another – for example, an aimed punch that fails to connect.

Looked pretty reckless from where I was, a few cm from some unlawful force that was only by dint of my actions failing to connect with my body

Common assault is when a person inflicts violence on someone else or makes them think they are going to be attacked.

No actual contact is required for an assault to have been committed.

Dogs are a blight on society in so many ways, but it doesn’t look like they’ll be going away any time soon. It would be nice if existing laws could be enforced, but with the deliberate enfeeblement of the courts and the police by this government, that isn’t going to happen. Nor are dog owners likely to be suddenly overcome with concern for those who they harm. So I think we’re just going to have to put up with it.

Ah I see, you came here spoiling for a fight. I guess acting all bolshy on the tinterwebs might help with your bruised ego. You have yourself a good day chap.

@relapsed_mandalorian

No idea who you are or why you would post that but anyway…………..thanks, I’ll try and all the best to you and yours as well.

Glad you’re OK op

You have 2 options, ignore it, or If it was as bad as you make out report it to the police. Struggling to see what other options you thought you were going to get by posting asking for advice on here?

Dogs are a blight on society in so many ways

They really aren’t. There are a tiny minority of bad owners and out of control dogs. In 10 years of cycling in groups, not one person I have been with has ever been attacked. Not saying attacks don’t happen, and I’m not downplaying their significance, but let’s not over egg the issue

@dogapologist (various)
<h2>Common Assault – s.39 Criminal Justice Act 1988</h2>
An assault is any act (and not mere omission to act) by which a person intentionally or recklessly causes another to suffer or apprehend immediate unlawful violence.

The term assault is often used to include a battery, which is committed by the intentional or reckless application of unlawful force to another person. Where there is a battery, the defendant should be charged with ‘assault by beating’: DPP v Little [1992] QB 645. Provided there has been an intentional or reckless application of unlawful force the offence will have been committed, however slight the force.

Assault, as distinct from battery, can be committed by an act indicating an intention to use unlawful violence against the person of another – for example, an aimed punch that fails to connect.

Looked pretty reckless from where I was, a few cm from some unlawful force that was only by dint of my actions failing to connect with my body

Not sure I like being refered to as a “Dog Apologist” but whatever.

If you want to die on the hill of legal interpretation, that’s your business. But I think a degree of realism is necessary, what do you honestly believe the police/CPS would pursue from a charging perspective?

Surely the priority should be getting a dangerous animal dealt with in the first instance, rather than pursuing elevated charges that have less chance of sticking because you are feeling (justifiably) aggrieved and want Maximum Justice! (sounds like a Steven Segal film).

Either way this is all academic, you’re not getting charges pressed, there’s not enough for it to go forward, reporting still has value as I said before criminal behaviour needs reporting when observed.

assaulted me with an offensive weapon

Unless the owner picked up the dog and physical beat you with it I can’t see how it would classified as this. Even if the owner had trained the dog to attack and you could prove the owner commanded it to attack you I think the police would deal with it via dangerous dog legislation.

Report to police via non emergency number.

More info here;
https://www.gov.uk/control-dog-public

It could be malicious wounding if owner deliberately set the dog on you. The incident you described is a long long way from that.

@cookeaa

I broadly agree with pretty much all you wrote. However I do think maybe dog attacks (both those where damage is sustained and more importantly those where it isn’t, but could well be next time) should be classed as assault – perhaps owners might take their responsibility more seriously if the potential charge and its repercussions was something more recognizeable to them.

As far as last nights episode, I won’t report it now because I can’t remember enough details about the dog or owner so it would be pointless. As someone said above, owners are creatures of habit so I’ll probably come across her again.

I guess the take home from all this is to report immediately whilst its fresh in your mind and as many have suggested take photo’s, at least of the dog.

Its a ludicrous situation though and I know 100% that I will get bitten sooner or later

Jeez, as if the mad drivers wern’t enough!

I love that paragraph of Richards cycling book, it’s just so ridiculously over the top.

On balance, I’d still take my chances with a  hound than most of the **** driving audis and BMWs on the road.

(I can reason with most dogs. Golf playing **** in panzerwagons, however…)

What are the implications of I) carrying pepper spray and ii) using it on a dog. Could you open yourself up to some form of counter claim where it is your word against theirs the dog didn’t attack you because you sprayed it.

Maybe British cycling or cycling U.K. have a view given they get involved in personal injury sort of things.

Do I call the police?

Yes. There’s usually a local dog warden at the council, I’d report it there also.
I did when I was bitten (blood etc) by a dog a while back. Took photo of owner, got note from Drs when I went for a tetanus booster and went to police and dog warden with it. I thought it best left at that. Same as a dangerous driver really, get it on record and move on.

However I do think maybe dog attacks (both those where damage is sustained and more importantly those where it isn’t, but could well be next time) should be classed as assault

It really isn’t assault in cases like this. First time a dog does damage might suprise the owner as much as us. If it’s reported it first time can be acted on if they’re irresponsible enough for it to happen again. If they really DGAS they’ll be banned from owning dogs.

I won’t report it now because I can’t remember enough details about the dog or owner so it would be pointless.

If it actually was going for you, do report the time and place and anything you do remember about them to police and the local dog warden service. Won’t take long.

As far as last nights episode, I won’t report it now because I can’t remember enough details about the dog or owner so it would be pointless.

No, do report it. Limited details are less of a concern than getting the incident on record even if it’s just:

“I encountered an out of control aggressive dog at NN:NNhrs on DD/MM/YYY at this location, the owner failed to prevent the dog from attacking me all I can recall is the Dog was Brown and the owner a woman in her 40s with brown hair. I want this incident recording”

It gets the location and the presence of a dangerous dog on their radar.

Ok point taken – I will do that. I remember the colour and size of the dog as well as the fact it was wearing one of those restraint harnesses. Time and place is also easy.

What are the implications of I) carrying pepper spray

A brief Google search suggests that actual pepper spray is illegal to own/ carry/ use in the UK.

Batter the hound to death with a well thumbed copy of Richards Bicycling Book

Ah..@jonba got there first.. as you were

@dogapologist (various)
<h2>Common Assault – s.39 Criminal Justice Act 1988</h2>
An assault is any act (and not mere omission to act) by which a person intentionally or recklessly causes another to suffer or apprehend immediate unlawful violence.

The term assault is often used to include a battery, which is committed by the intentional or reckless application of unlawful force to another person. Where there is a battery, the defendant should be charged with ‘assault by beating’: DPP v Little [1992] QB 645. Provided there has been an intentional or reckless application of unlawful force the offence will have been committed, however slight the force.

Assault, as distinct from battery, can be committed by an act indicating an intention to use unlawful violence against the person of another – for example, an aimed punch that fails to connect.

Looked pretty reckless from where I was, a few cm from some unlawful force that was only by dint of my actions failing to connect with my body

Pretty sure that there was no intent by the owner. As others have said. Report it. That’s as much as you can do now I’m afraid.

I would go by the reaction of the owner.

If the owner is apologetic and tells the dog off etc then I would be more understanding. Its the owners that are the issues, not the dog.

Do you slow right down to walking pace when you go past the dog?

I would go by the reaction of the owner.

If the owner is apologetic and tells the dog off etc then I would be more understanding. Its the owners that are the issues, not the dog.

Do you slow right down to walking pace when you go past the dog?

What are the implications of I) carrying pepper spray and ii) using it on a dog.

Potentially 6 months in prison for just being in possession of it and 10 years for actually using it. It comes under firearms legislation.