Demands grow for 'weapon dogs' to be brought to heel
Number of dangerous pets seized by police has doubled in the last year
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Independent Minds
Stephanie Schaerer
Alex Prior with Roxy, a crossbred pitbull and Staffordshire bull terrier and, right, Margaret Doherty with Dexter, a Staffordshire bull terrier
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The number of dangerous dogs used by criminals is soaring, sparking an epidemic of dog-related crime which has seen the number of animals seized by police nearly double in a year, and a three-fold increase in people needing hospital treatment for bites.
The explosion in popularity of so-called "weapon dogs", which are brutalised and trained by their owners to make them more vicious, has led animal welfare groups and politicans to call for urgent measures, including new laws, to tackle a phenomenon that threatens to overwhelm animal refuges.
The situation in some London boroughs is already "out of hand", The Independent has been told. Each month, dozens of animals – many of them maimed in fights with other dogs owned by gang members – are taken to Battersea Dogs Home and veterinary hospitals run by the RSPCA.
Scotland Yard said most of the dogs seized by officers were pitbull terriers – one of three breeds banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, which many critics say is failing to deal with the problem. Senior officers have seen a marked increase in dogs being used to attack or intimidate the public, or deployed in set-piece gang fights.
The Yard expects to seize more than 1,000 dangerous dogs this year, up from 719 in 2008 and an average of 45 a year between 2002 and 2006. In the past five years, hospital admissions for dog bites have risen by 43 per cent across the UK and by 79 per cent in London.
In a recent incident, police marksmen were called to a house in Tottenham, north London, after a pitbull-type dog clamped its jaws on to the arm of the owner's girlfriend. The dog was shot as a last resort. By then the woman, 23, was so badly mutilated that part of her arm had to be amputated.
The RSPCA said 60 per cent of the calls it received about dog-fighting concerned youths gathered with their pets in public places. Its inner-city animal hospitals deal with hundreds of injured "weapon dogs" each year, while Battersea Dogs Home said bull breeds now accounted for nearly 50 per cent of its "inmates", a proportion that had doubled in five years.
Concern about the proliferation of illegal breeds in deprived areas, where legal species such as the Staffordshire bull terrier are also seen by young gang members as status symbols, has led the Conservative Party to call for a new Dog Control Act to force owners to take responsibility for their pets.
The Deputy Mayor of London, Kit Malthouse, said consideration should also be given to banning all bull breeds which were inherently more aggressive than other dogs and were "canine weapons that terrorise the streets of Peckham, Toxteth and Moss Side".
Speaking after a meeting with police and the RSPCA, Mr Malthouse said: "There is a new weapon of intimidation terrorising the streets. Using a 'weapon dog' is no different to using a gun or a knife to attack, maim and even kill."
Over the past five years, a thriving black market in fearsome dogs, many of them bull breeds, has grown up in Britain's inner cities. Until 2008, the trade was extremely profitable with puppies selling for up to £500 apiece. There are now so many dogs available that the price has dropped to between £100 and £150 per puppy.
But experts say targeting particular species is counter-productive and will simply lead to unscrupulous owners turning other breeds into fighting dogs with brutalising techniques. These include beating and burning dogs to encourage them to fight, or teaching them to hang from tree branches to strengthen their jaws.
Claire Robinson, a spokesman for the RSPCA, said: "The breed-specific issue is a red herring. What we need is a fundamental overhaul of legislation to tackle the problem of irresponsible ownership.
"We need to be looking at measures such as tenancy agreements which can be used to ensure council properties are not used for indiscriminate breeding."
On the White City Estate, west London: 'She's not violent, she just likes to assert her authority'
Fabrizio Pezzolente, 22, and Pinka, 5
Pinka is "a bit of Labrador and a lot of pitbull", says her owner Mr Pezzolente, who is unemployed. "I don't think she's violent but when she is out in the park she likes to assert her authority. Sometimes I have to try to separate her from another dog. She is a dominant animal, that seems to be in her breeding. She likes to chase smaller animals. She is just a normal dog."
Alex Prior, 17, and Roxy, 1
Miss Prior took in Roxy as a puppy after the crossbred pitbull and Staffordshire bull terrier was abused by her former owner. "I know a lot of people who feed their dogs red meat to make them wilder. They burn or hit them to wind them up," said Ms Prior, a cloakroom attendant. "Staffies are loyal. Roxy will sit on your knee and fall asleep but they can turn quickly and be violent."
Margaret Doherty, 54, and Dexter, 2
"People who breed their dogs as weapons are horrible. They're normally crossbreeds," said Mrs Doherty, a housewife who has kept Staffordshire bull terriers for 35 years. Dexter is pure-bred. "I do not see any reason why we should not have a licensing system again. Staffs can get into mischief if you don't keep an eye on them. I only let him off the leash in the park."
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Comments
Really? What a load of bollocks, I have had Staffies for many years, my best friend is a breeder, I have other friends who are breeders and NOT ONE STAFFY I have known from ANY of those breeders have ever been violent to another human.
Yes they do get territorial with other dogs but from my own pedigree Staffy if you train them right, they will never ever set on another dog unless it is in defence of itself or its family, they can be excitable, clumsy, can catch people with their claws and nip when they get into a licking frenzy but I cannot recommend a more stable family dog than the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
Breeders should properly assess whether a buyer is able to look after the dog and train them effectively, they need to be introduced to cats at some stage and with other dogs as well, a Staffy is a hard work dog at the start but they are an incredibly intelligent breed and have an inbred quality that they will protect their family to the death.
All I have to do is raise my forefinger and I have my dogs attention, he is word perfect on any command, he sits, lays down, goes to his bed, comes to heel, barks, I have never had to smack him or use any form of violent chastisement to attain this, he is fine with other dogs, even the neighbours Rottweiler doesn't bother him and my dog will sit and not do a thing if challenged.
So once again because of bad owners, because the Staffy looks a bit like a pitbull, because people think they know it all, us proper owners will find ourselves pilloried for the sake of a few idiots.
Staffies look like Pitbulls but their breeding lines are far, far different and it is only coincidence that gives them the similar build, a Staffy is descended from Boxers and Manchester Terriers, a pitbull's ancestry is from different breeds altogether, the Staffy forebears in Victorian times became known as a "Gentlemans companion" and the last thing he would want to do with it would be to watch it torn to pieces, but would use it in ratting rings in places like Piccadilly. A Staffy was never set out to be a fighting dog but to look like one, a poseur of a dog that makes for one of the worst guard dogs ever as most times a staffy would lick a burglar...
A proper pedigreed Staffordshire Bull Terrier should not be a problem ever, however, there are Irish variants which are Pitbulls that look more like the SBT and have been known to have a bad temperament, it is very important to inspect the bloodline and to make sure that your Staffordshire is a real pedigreed dog and not some back alley cross pit that will turn villain, Bullhawke Kennels used to offer a pedigree referencing service to allow you to check back a dogs history as does the Kennel club.
Bring back the dog licence. I am a dog-owner (my dog is not a staffy) and I think that a dog licence requirement is the only thing that will reduce the numbers of utter cretins like ancientoneuk keeping staffies and walking them off the lead.
Here are two pictures, the top is an American Pitbull which is outlawed in this country and indeed in many states of the US... The bottom is of a Bullhawk bred Staffordshire Bull Terrier and the great uncle of my own dog, they have similarities in build and appearance BUT are bred from totally different breeds.
American Pitbull
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
The first cannot ever be trusted ever with a small child or baby, they have the same inbred danger to small children as Rottweilers and Dobermann's have, that they "rag" children without warning or provocation, they are highly aggressive even if trained from a pup and that is why they are illegal to own in this country.
However some are being brought in as "Irish" Staffordshire Bull Terriers or have had a small mix in with a real SBT to disguise it, some breeders or SBT's are also fooled by the very lax pedigree systems from other countries and may have inadvertantly mixed Pitbull's into their own lines.
But the "weapon" dogs are rogue dogs bred from anything they can find, there is no history, no pedigree and just because they look per se like a particular breed, they are not that particular breed.
And something has to be said here that in the end it is never the animals fault but the way it is reared and brought up, if a puppy from birth is brought up with a kick and violence, it does not matter what breed it will become feral and violent, if a dog is brought up with care, consideration and love, as part of the family it should be a great asset and something to be proud of.
I have this grievance because so many of us own decent and well behaved Staffordshire Bull Terriers and we are mightily sick to death of our breed being blamed for all ills, my dog cost me many hundreds of pounds, has one of the best bloodlines in the world and my friend the breeder researched thoroughly any potential sires for her bitch and travelled a long way to get the right dog, but every time someone shouts out it was a Staffy we get worried because sooner or later we will see this wonderful breed banned and that is not right.
Because I didn't come down to earth yesterday; I know a staffy when I see one, and I can tell the difference between a staffy and other breeds.
"in the end it is never the animals fault but the way it is reared and brought up"
That is a completely irrelevant distinction when it is you who is in pain and shock, having to attend Accident & Emergency for x-rays, anti-tetanus jab, temporarily disabled by the massive bruising, who has to keep going with earning your living with a computer keyboard (left-handed for several weeks), who four months on is still receiving physiotherapy for the ruptured tendon, who cannot yet operate a tin-opener or open a child-proof top, and whose hand will never work as well as before. And I am haunted by what could have happened, had I not struck the staffy several times on the side of the muzzle with all my strength with the only thing I had in my hand - the plastic handle of my dog's lead.
"I have this grievance because so many of us own decent and well behaved Staffordshire Bull Terriers and we are mightily sick to death of our breed being blamed for all ills"
You are in denial about the biggest problem about staffies: the power of their jaws and the fact that they can lock their jaws. Staffy owners round here (south-east London) actually boast about the strength of their dogs' jaws, and I have seen the owners encouraging the dogs to jump up and swing from the lowest branches of trees in our local park. Had I been a little old lady, I would have had to watch my own little dog being killed in front of me.
"my dog cost me many hundreds of pounds"
Round here they are advertised for sale in the windows of corner shops, at £350 a pup.
"every time someone shouts out it was a Staffy we get worried because sooner or later we will see this wonderful breed banned"
Can't happen soon enough, as far as I am concerned. I was assaulted by a staffy, there were lots of witnesses, and I have a crime number for it.
Many years ago in Chinbrook Meadows (I do know south east London very well as it happens as I grew up there) two Cypriot brothers set their Alsatian on to my mother, her dog a toy poodle actually killed the Alsatian and was ordered to be destroyed because the two brothers went to court despite it was only doing the right thing and the two Cypriots got away with it even though there were plenty of people witnessing that they set their dog on my mum.
Any dog except a bulldog I believe can lock their jaws, any dog can be a potential danger, you are angry at a whole breed because of your trauma but seem not to understand that the dog wasn't born like that, someone made that dog from cuddly puppy into a feral and because of that, the rest of us have to suffer. I could buy a puppy tomorrow, any breed you like and no doubt using the right techniques turn it into a very dangerous dog, equally I could take the brakes off my car and make that as equally dangerous or go into B&Q and buy a hammer and hit people with that, the intent is on the person to make things into weapons.
No one mentions what happens when a German Shepherd gets encephalitis and goes mad or Cocker Spaniels who turn vicious through lack of exercise, my ex mother in law had a Spaniel that bit off two of my ex stepsons fingers for no reason other than her husband mistreating it and thanks to the marvels of surgery was able to keep those fingers.
And just out of curiosity, did you think of calling the police or the RSPCA when you saw those kids training their dogs in that fashion?
I won't further debate this with you as it is futile from my point of view, your mind is closed tarring all with the same brush and regardless of my own views you were still a victim of an attack for which I can sympathise, it is a shame for if you were to meet my dog (called Gandalf) you would see what a proper well brought up Staffy is really like, to me he is just my dog, a companion, a part of the family.
I am sorry that you did suffer such a frightening attack but please direct your anger justly to those that deserve it and not at the vast majority of us that own decent and loving dogs.
Ahahahahahahaha - you don't know south London, really, do you?
Comparing Ford Fiestas with breeds of dog with known violent and unpredictable traits is a logic into which I cannot follow you. And, no, most dog nreeds cannot lock their jaws.
As for the "locking" you are absolutely right, no dog actually has a locking jaw, what they do have inherent from their ascendency from wolves is an ability and determination to sink their teeth in and not let go of their prey, this is inherent in every dog, obviously Pitbulls, Boxers, Staffordshires etc have more muscle there to grip and grip hard too, any terrier breed is highly tenacious in that regard and "rag" as well to break the neck of their prey.
I do think my comparison stands though, you are willing to see a whole breed banned because of one incident to yourself and seeing people abuse and mishandle such breeds on the estates, I know it well and have seen them myself with Pits and Staffy crosses called "Ripper" and "Tyson" but the dog didn't name itself that, didn't dress itself in collars and harnesses of spikes and leather, the dog follows its masters orders and if its master wants it to be a fighting dog, an aggressive dog then that is exactly what it will be, in that respect any dog becomes a weapon as much as any car can be a convenient conveyance in one hand and a cause of many deaths in the hands of another.
I said there were lots of witnesses to the attack. Guess how many came forward, though, to talk to the police?
"you are willing to see a whole breed banned because of one incident to yourself "
Actually, I was thinking also of sparing others in future - and especially children - the horrible experience that I suffered. There are lots of nice, companionable, gentle breeds of dog well-adapted to city living - but staffies are not one of them.
Deaths caused by dog fatalities(all breeds) =16
info supplied by CDC(Canine Disease Control)
Deaths causes By Murder ,human upon Human. =16000
info supplied by the FBI
smarock10@yahoo.com
created a featured a WEAPON DOG and is aiming to become as Famous as that GIN-SWILLING DRUNK
LORD BAKER.
smarock10@yahoo:com
Use the law as it exists to punish owners dont create more and more laws but ,of course , this Government loves a new law.
the argument that it costs more to collect than we get - so we'll scrap it -
is the most stupid thing I ever heard.
Instead we have to pay for all this policing AND get emotionally blackmailed into funding
the RSPCA.
£ 100 per dog licence - can be collected just like the TV licence .
Compulosry chip for every dog - that'll do it
Education ? That old excuse ? No thanks - I don't want to pay for someone to be educated
as to how to be a responsible citizen. I expect adults to be able to do that already.
It has taken about 20 years to bully and threaten dog owners to pick up their dog's shit
from the pavements and playing fields - and still a large percentage leave it for us, or
our kids , to find . What chance have we got ?
Oh and the lady who " only" lets her dog off " in the park ".
I was rather hoping to be able to do the same for my kids -
without the threat from dogs and their crap !
I am sure all dog owners have never heard of any violent activity by a dog.
That's denial for you !
OAPs should still have to get a license but receive a rebate.
This would be far more useful than giving Jack Straw the right to block embarrassing inquests.
Do not let the search for perfection prevent us doing better.
All sponges living in council housing should be banned from keeping pets as part of their tenancy agreement.
It's generally only poor, unemployed people who have these dogs so you can bet they are sponging off the government for housing, benefits etc.
Having a licence fee is only going to be more money coming out of my pocket to pay for these animals to be on the streets. (I already pay for their food)
I wholeheartedly agree with the licence scheme, I also think any potential dog owner should have to sit an exam so that he/she knows how to be a responsible owner. If they then fall foul of those responsibilities they can be fined and if necessary, the dog removed from their ownership. I also think a "good canine citizen" test should be performed when the dog is 2 years old to test for aggressiveness. This would have given the owner plenty of time to train and socialise their pet. If the pet fails the test it could be neutered and/or taken from the owner. Anyone who doesn't abide by these laws could be fined or imprisoned and have their dogs removed from their ownership. Simple.
All dogs, regardless of breed, are potentially loyal, sociable, loving animals and are potentially aggressive. Talking of banning certain breeds smacks of Eugenics and we all know where that leads....
Sneering at them, writing them off as worthless spongers is where the whole problem begins.
If more was done to coax those young people out the that hopeless lifestyle maybe they'd stop buying into cheap fear-based status symbols. Ban these dogs and it'll just be the next thing until those parts of Britain are fixed.
Yes, that is my experience, too. People who have a stake in society seem to choose - if they have a dog - a nicer, gentler breed.
But there is definitely a semi-feral sub-class of people for whom keeping a staffy is a badge of belonging. On the estates in south London, people breed anti-social pups from their anti-social animals ("I'll put my one with your one, and we'll sell the pups and split the money.")
Canines truly are mans best friend and enable MANY people to live independent and productive lives.
I would argue that you are the ignorant one, problem dog owners are very much in the minority, the majority of 'owners' like myself are decent, law abiding folk who geniunely love our charges.
And 'Man's best friend' is just a stupid cliché. If a dog is your best friend you must be a real loser!
I didn't infer that a dog could save you during an explosion, rather that dogs can be trained to detect explosives... saving many lives. Your ignorance knows no bounds and quite frankly if you're the caliber of human they'd be up against I'd take a dog over you as a mate anytime. When was the last time you selflessly helped society in some way, probably never.
I myself only take on rescue dogs, they are neither status symbols nor are they ornaments. As a woman living on her own they provide company, security and help to keep me active and healthy.
You sound like a typical jerk (and a Sun reader) who is never going to educate himself to the fact that every story has at least two sides, I find your comments juvenile, offensive and patronising...try growing up before commenting on a subject you know NOTHING about.
Bite me!
The dog owners I know are probably the first people to chastise people who don't pick up after their dogs, or have aggressive dogs. We don't need people like that to encourage people like yourself to insinuate we are all the same. They also have their dogs highly trained, keep them stimulated in positive ways such as obedience, agility, working and field trials, and their dogs are more responsive and better behaved than most children I see these days, and are still capable of being normal fun family pets. I've seen staffies and rottweilers competing, well under control, well socialised and safe with other dogs and children. In fact, the rottweiler got attacked quite savagely by a dog that wouldn't have been considered dangerous by most people, and it didn't retaliate.
So, please take your brush with which you tar all dog owners and dogs the same, and stick it back in its pot. The same to Billdavy, who seems to think that dogs should be put down because some idiot visiting a house left a gate open or some poor dog got frightened by a bunch of kids and ran off.
Let's seem some real argument and discussion instead of all that emotive claptrap you're spouting. It's simply, for you and Billdavy, a chance to leap on the antidog bandwagon, act all uppity and highhanded, and make inane comments
smarock10@yahoo.com
Apart from working dogs, it's about time dogs were banned.
This is the 21st century!!!
My family have a had a Staffordshire bullterrier for over 8 years and he is the most sensitive, loving, intuitive, funny and loyal dog we have had. Why? mainly because we have rasied him like that.
Arguemets such as; they're for of poor people on council estates only show you up for being narrow minded and bigoted.
It is is no co-incidence that they are prevalant as a breed in the inner-cities (where "sponges living in council housing" can be often found, classy matt0931, it must be great being you), but this is where their innate tenacity is a virtue.
I support the idea of dog licensing because regulation will stop idiots from getting dog and abusing them by using them as weapons.
UK has to change it's policy and put Criminals where they belong,in Jail for a long time.
smarock10@yahoo.com
Politicians usually don't take animal issues seriously and often only pay lip service to animal welfare. They seem only concerned now because of the growing safety risks to people and the increased media attention given to the issue of 'dangerous dogs'. Animals Count, a UK political party for people and animals (http://www.animalscount.org) included the following policies in its recent EU election manifesto:
- A companion animal licensing system should be established. Mandatory requirements would include lower age limits for licence-holders, and the successful completion of a responsible animal care certificate, appropriate to the species in question. Annual maintenance of the licence would require mandatory neutering of all companion animals by sexual maturity or earlier, other than in very special circumstances; compliance with basic preventative healthcare measures such as vaccination and parasite control; annual veterinary checkups; mandatory identification and registration, through both externally-visible identification and microchipping; and maintenance of companion animal insurance designed to fund unexpected medical or surgical expenses. Limitations would be imposed on numbers of animals that may be kept at each address.
- Legislation and regulations against animal neglect and abuse should be strengthened, through a
range of measures, including:
o increased powers of inspection and seizure for police and licensed inspectors,
o mandatory completion by offenders of a responsible animal care certificate (see above) appropriate to the species in question, regardless of any prior certification,
o increased penalties for offenders.
- Resources for the implementation and enforcement of such legislation and regulations against
animal neglect and abuse should be increased.
- Organisations and animal shelters that conduct inspections, animal seizures, provide shelters for animals, or prosecute animal abusers, should receive adequate government funding. Statutory regulation of animal sanctuaries should be introduced.
- Whilst companion animal overpopulation persists, breeding should be prohibited other than in
exceptional circumstances. Breeding of companion animals to meet breed standards, or for
other purposes, that result in hereditary anatomical, physiological or other impairments likely to
be contrary to good welfare, must always be prohibited. All such breeding, and establishments
in which breeding occurs, must be independently inspected and tightly regulated.
- Establishments selling animals should be subjected to mandatory regulation in accordance with
best practice principles, including with respect to stocking densities, health and husbandry
standards, independent, unannounced inspections, and a range of penalties that could include
revocation of licences, fines and custodial sentences, where violations are apparent.
And also:
- Social and healthcare workers and other authorities should be educated about the animal-human
violence link, and required to report suspected animal abuse to appropriate authorities, in the hope of mitigating potential future abuse of animals or people.
Only a comprehensive approach will be effective. Piecemeal legislation such as the Dangerous Dog Act 1991 is ineffective (and often not enforced).
More research plucked out of thin air. Source?
1. [Repeated notice. Unpredictable aggression by golden retrievers: a hereditary problem?]
Knol BW, Schilder BH.
Tijdschr Diergeneeskd. 2000 May 15;125(10):330. Dutch. No abstract available. PMID: 10950728 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related articles
2. [Nondominant aggression in golden retrievers: an inherited problem?]
Knol BW, Schilder MB.
Tijdschr Diergeneeskd. 1999 Oct 1;124(19):577-8. Dutch. No abstract available. PMID: 10540735 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related articles
There are such things as bad dogs and there are also bad owners. Likewise - there are also slow news days, i suspect this is one of them.
Dog ownership is a responibilty as is bringing up children/looking after the elderly etc etc.
If you cannot legislate for responsible parenting or social reponsibility (which we should not) then you should not consider legislating for reponsible dog ownership.
The best thing to do is do what all good british citizensdo - sweet F A and moan about the state of everything.
That - or let someone else deal with it!
I wonder if the Holacaust ever existed most of you people were told by the Illustrious press it did not,and poor Hitler lost the War as a result,and all he was trying to do was rid the world of Jews ,like my Hero Malthouse is trying to do with these other Dangerous Animals now. HEIL MALTHOUSE
smarock10@yahoo.com