Why weren't charges made against these pieces of scum?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail....d-boy-owner-toss.html

It was said that no charges were made because it was on private property???????????????

Surely they could have been charged for keeping a dangerous animal?

[FredPuli43]

No, they couldn't.

Next!

[anotheoldgit]

FredPuli43

It would seem that you are wrong.

Next!

/// Grandmother Helen Foulkes, 64, admitted one charge of keeping a dangerous dog and was given a four-month jail term, suspended for 18 months, and was banned from owning a dog again.///

http://www.huffington...gs-law_n_1226682.html

[sandyRoe]

I think some dogs, such as American Pit Bulls, are illegal. You could be charged with keeping one of them.
The dogs that bit this child are not.

[jackthehat]

You are wrong, AOG.

The dog in your second link was an 'illegal breed'.

The dog in the original story seems to be a nasty animal but is neither an illegal breed, nor was loose/uncontrolled in a public area.

Next!

[daffy654]

I would have thought there was an argument that the dogs weren't sufficiently secured if a 2 year old could open the gate and enter the garden.

[sandyRoe]

It looks as though a muzzle for the uncle of the dogs owner wouldn't be out of place, though.

[pdq1]

All the platitudes about charging the owner, micro-chipping, etc fail to tackle the problem at source and is always after the event has happened.

The only way is to ban more breeds, to have muzzles on dogs in public and restrictions on the number of dogs held by an individual.

[FredPuli43]

No, aog.

Your proof of my ignorance of the law fails. The first example in your link is of a pit bull type,one of the types or breeds of dogs specifically controlled (can't be bred etc) . The instant case is not of one. The second is one of a dog in a public place.

The Dogs Act 1871 provides for someone to make a civil complaint in the Magistrates' court. That applies wherever the dog was or is. It is not a criminal matter.

The police could not charge. You may feel the law should be changed. That has been proposed, but it has not yet been.

[anotheoldgit]

FredPuli43

Sorry about that, you are perfectly correct.

It was your aggressive after note, 'NEXT' that had me rushing to Google to prove you wrong.

'Act it haste repent at leisure', springs to mind.

Perhaps you should also now admit that curt answers such as

/// No, they couldn't ///.

/// Next! ///

Adds nothing to the game of debate, as it only instils hostilities between AnswerBankers, and surely no enjoyment can come from that?

[ChuckFickens]

It does go to show the dangerous dog act was another bit if legislation drawn up in haste in answer to hype at the time that doesn't really solve the problems it was meant to address.

A dog is dangerous if it's dangerous, not just because it's one of the breeds listed in the DDA, conversely a lot of examples of dogs that are a breed listed in the DDA are not dangerous at all.

[Mick-Talbot]

Ooh, I'm so excited ......this story is about slating some honkies and their dog is it ?

About time AOG.

[Mick-Talbot]

I should have known better. :0/

[chaptazbru]

AOG I can't understand why no charges are being brought against these people, partricularly as they are saying that they don't care! How can they not care that a small child was attacked and is now in an induced coma? It just doesn't seem right at all. And apparently these dogs have attacked the police - what does it take ??! I am a dog lover, but these type of dogs are starting to scare me.

[hc4361]

Because:

The dog is not an illegal type for the purpose of 'dangerous dog'
The dog was on its own property

[chaptazbru]

Then, as usual, the law's an ass !!!!

[hc4361]

Turn the question round - how was this child able to wander unsupervised in to somebody else's garden?

Should the parent/guardian be charged with neglect?

[chaptazbru]

Of course the small child shouldn't have been allowed to wander, but he didn't deserve to be savaged by a vicious dog either. Maybe the parents of the child will be charged with neglect, who knows.

[Brenden]

How could a child of two be left on its own in the street - I cannot see how the dog owners can be held responsible - possibly the childs family have questions to answer.

[wendilla]

What's the saying

Don't judge a book by it's cover.

Then why do people judge a dog by it's breed and not the dog's owner.

We have 2 in the family and more gently than some dogs if the owners would bring them up properly we wold not have this problem. No dog can be trusted 100%

[chaptazbru]

Doesn't seem to be much pity for the poor child here !!