Dog attacks om horses

[PeterNatt]

The British Horse Society has responded to the Defra consultation on a package of measures to promote more responsible dog ownership and to reduce dog attacks.

Dog attacks on horses, or even when a dog chases a horse but does not attack, can have serious emotional, physical and financial consequences for horses, owners and riders. They can also deprive other equestrians of exercise and access to the countryside by deterring them from using routes.

Since the launch of its dedicated accident recording website, www.horseaccidents.org in November 2010, The British Horse Society has received 316 reports of dog attacks on horses.

Consequently the UK’s foremost equestrian charity has made the following recommendations:
•The British Horse Society calls for the microchipping of all dogs, logged on a single database. This would enable the owners of dogs to be identified so that prosecutions can be brought against their owners when a dog attacks a horse or rider.
•The Society believes that the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 should be extended to cover all places, including private property, where a dog is permitted to be. In some instances it is not possible to bring a prosecution where a dog has attacked a horse and rider because that place does not fall within the current definition of a public place as set out within the Act.
•The BHS believes that the opportunity should be taken to create an offence for dog attacks on horses and other animals. A horse that is chased onto a public highway can result in tragic consequences not just for the horse but the driver and passengers of the vehicle that hits it.

For further press information and pictures, please contact the BHS Press Officer: Alison Coleman, Tel: 02476 840463 or a.coleman@bhs.org.uk

 

[jinglejoys]

When anything happens on the Bridlepath behind me the Authorities just close it! The Police are too scared to do anything as there are 28 Akitas on the camp and they would rather face Pit Bulls than Akitas.

 

[Silent Knight]

This is welcome news. I may live longer if it goes through

 

[Louby]

Thanks for posting this.

I used to love hacking out but after a couple of incidents with dogs, I dread it now. I think if all loose dogs had to be muzzled, then everything would be fine. Dogs could be loose but no injurys should happen.

Its fine saying microchip all dogs etc etc but if an incident occurs, then how on earth do you stop the person and dog responsible from leaving the scene before help or police arrive.

My dogs been attacked too and the owner just 'did one'!

It is definately a move in the right direction but the responsible dog owners seem to have stable nice dogs that dont cause a problem. Its the unresponsible dog owners that seem to have the problem dogs and who dissapear when theres a problem.

 

[Silent Knight]

muzzling alone will not stop your horse tanking off with the dog hot at it's heels and then there are the ones which jump out of the bushes, and the arsey owners who begrudge having to fetch their dog after 5 mins of shouting it to no avail ....... and breathe, don't get me started

 

[ChesnutsRoasting]

The British Horse Society has responded to the Defra consultation on a package of measures to promote more responsible dog ownership and to reduce dog attacks.

Dog attacks on horses, or even when a dog chases a horse but does not attack, can have serious emotional, physical and financial consequences for horses, owners and riders. They can also deprive other equestrians of exercise and access to the countryside by deterring them from using routes.

Since the launch of its dedicated accident recording website, www.horseaccidents.org in November 2010, The British Horse Society has received 316 reports of dog attacks on horses.

Consequently the UK’s foremost equestrian charity has made the following recommendations:
•The British Horse Society calls for the microchipping of all dogs, logged on a single database. This would enable the owners of dogs to be identified so that prosecutions can be brought against their owners when a dog attacks a horse or rider.
•The Society believes that the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 should be extended to cover all places, including private property, where a dog is permitted to be. In some instances it is not possible to bring a prosecution where a dog has attacked a horse and rider because that place does not fall within the current definition of a public place as set out within the Act.
•The BHS believes that the opportunity should be taken to create an offence for dog attacks on horses and other animals. A horse that is chased onto a public highway can result in tragic consequences not just for the horse but the driver and passengers of the vehicle that hits it.

For further press information and pictures, please contact the BHS Press Officer: Alison Coleman, Tel: 02476 840463 or a.coleman@bhs.org.uk

1. The Dangerous Dogs Act doesn't work. What dreamer thought that including private property would make a difference should be sacked.

2 316 attacks. Can the BHS clarify what they mean by "attack?"

3 Microchipping is fantastic if you lose a dog and he/she is found by a responsible person and returned to your ownership. Dogs change hands and details are not updated, so ownership may be difficult to establish. In fact, microchipping, currently, is not proof of ownership.