Dog Owners Face Prosecution if Their Dog Scares Child Collecting Ball Out of Their Ga

[djlynwood]

A part of me says that children should be told by their parents not to climb into other peoples gardens.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-pet-scares-child-collecting-ball-garden.html

 

[TwoStroke]

Goodness, that article was shoddy even by Daily Mail standards. Do they seriously not have a proof reader??

 

[Alec Swan]

djlynwood,

you've overlooked one small point; It's an article conjured up by the very worst journal ever printed. It's complete and utter rubbish.

Alec.

 

[djlynwood]

I hope it is just rubbish. I know that the DDA is currently being reviewed and prosecuting people whos dogs attack someone on private property is to be included.

I just think this is going too far.

 

[CorvusCorax]

How I love living in the middle of nowhere!! My neighbour's kids used to throw stones at my dog over the garden wall. Charming.

 

[Embo]

As always with the Daily Mail, the comments are the best part of the article. Some of those are shocking!

 

[Calcyle]

djlynwood,

you've overlooked one small point; It's an article conjured up by the very worst journal ever printed. It's complete and utter rubbish.

Alec.

Unfortunately it's not complete and utter rubbish, as it should be. I recently attended a seminar by Trevor Cooper, who happens to be mentioned in that 'article', and while yes, obviously they are exaggerating, it's not too far off.

New laws will state that you are not liable in your dwelling only. In your car, in your garden, or on your land, you will be liable if someone has 'reasonable cause' to fear injury, even if they are trespassing.

Very scary, I think, and this law needs a desperate re-think before it is passed.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Well good luck to whoever tries to get a ball off my dog, I struggle as it is

Re the car thing, how could somebody reasonably defend opening and going into your car, especially when you're like me and there's a great lump of a dog in it? He's in a crate but he will make a right racket if anyone goes near him.

 

[RLS]

Never mind the dogs, my neighbour's kids need to worry about MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

 

[Jake10]

Tbh the chickens are more likely to set upon an unsuspecting uninvited intruder, child or not, than the dogs. The dogs would bark but the chickens go in for the kill

*currently has several peck marks on my leg to prove it

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

This country is getting totally ridiculous!

So if you have guard dogs and someone tries to burgle your house, gets injured by the dog then your the one in the wrong?! Insane!

I wonder if you would get done for a guard goose attack Hmmm! New law! Dandergous Birds Act! And bird found to be eyeing you up, squawking at you, pecking, stratching or chasing a human being deemed dangerous - and hell mend any pigeon that poops on your head!!!

 

[stencilface]

Well good luck to whoever tries to get a ball off my dog, I struggle as it is

Re the car thing, how could somebody reasonably defend opening and going into your car, especially when you're like me and there's a great lump of a dog in it? He's in a crate but he will make a right racket if anyone goes near him.

Ha ha, this entirely. If a football made it into my garden, it would be an ex football long before I got to my dog. I have to watch out as between 3 neighbours our internal garden fences are there, but not dog proof, every so often the grandkids at the end come round and play football in the garden. The game is to grab my dog before he gets to the ball

(we will be adding a discreet netted fence to stop my dog running through our hedge, its just further down the list of things to do!)

 

[Alec Swan]

......

New laws will state that you are not liable in your dwelling only. In your car, in your garden, or on your land, you will be liable if someone has 'reasonable cause' to fear injury, even if they are trespassing.

.......

We can imagine a situation where children are playing football in their own garden, a ball goes over the fence, possibly a visiting child, who knows nothing of next door's dog, volunteers to hop over the fence, the dog is in the house but the kitchen or patio doors are open and the dog goes out to investigate the noise. With some breeds, and an absent minded owner, the possible injuries don't bear thinking about. Where does responsibility lie?

There has to be a degree of common sense attached to this; if a garden is fenced, and in such a way that it prevents a dog from escaping, then it would be secure enough to prevent a casual entry form a human. Any attempt at entry, by a human, which is other than remaining on terra firma should carry a sense of responsibility with it, just as those who break-in and enter my house or my car must face up to the consequences.

We can only hope that the Courts take a reasonable and realistic view of any event, and that genuine accidents are accepted as that.

Alec.

 

[BBH]

Except fences generally have gates in the middle that can be opened by children. So yes dogs can't get out or open gates but children can.

Am soo glad I don't have neighbours.

I wish politicians would stop this political correctness carp , stop skirting around the issue and just ban chavs and morons from owning multiple untrained dogs housed in unsuitable environments.

 

[suestowford]

I would say this could be a good law IF (and only if) it also includes the proviso that the parent(s) of the trespassing child were also prosecuted for not keeping an eye on their child.

 

[Calcyle]

Well good luck to whoever tries to get a ball off my dog, I struggle as it is

Re the car thing, how could somebody reasonably defend opening and going into your car, especially when you're like me and there's a great lump of a dog in it? He's in a crate but he will make a right racket if anyone goes near him.

Beats me! As it currently stands, if the car is parked on your driveway, the inside of it counts as private property. If it is parked on the road, the inside of your car counts as a public space, and you are liable if your dog injures someone inside of it.

Absolutely mental. I thought I was fairly clued up on these things, but this seminar was eye-opening!

 

[Calcyle]

Actually, what was possibly the most ridiculous thing - various organisations, such as the Cats Protection League, want this new law extended even further. So if a cat strolls into your garden and gets chased and injured by your dog, you could get in trouble for it.

There has to be a degree of common sense attached to this; if a garden is fenced, and in such a way that it prevents a dog from escaping, then it would be secure enough to prevent a casual entry form a human. Any attempt at entry, by a human, which is other than remaining on terra firma should carry a sense of responsibility with it, just as those who break-in and enter my house or my car must face up to the consequences.

We can only hope that the Courts take a reasonable and realistic view of any event, and that genuine accidents are accepted as that.

Indeed, hopefully should any such case arise, the judge will be one who has some experience with dogs and understanding of such matters.

 

[Dry Rot]

I would say this could be a good law IF (and only if) it also includes the proviso that the parent(s) of the trespassing child were also prosecuted for not keeping an eye on their child.

My dog loves children.

It's just that if I let her have more than one a week, she tends to put on weight...

 

[EAST KENT]

My dog loves children.

It's just that if I let her have more than one a week, she tends to put on weight...

And makes them constipated

 

[RLS]

Except fences generally have gates in the middle that can be opened by children. So yes dogs can't get out or open gates but children can.

Am soo glad I don't have neighbours.

I wish politicians would stop this political correctness carp , stop skirting around the issue and just ban chavs and morons from owning multiple untrained dogs housed in unsuitable environments.

and also having... multiple, untrained children....?

 

[FionaM12]

Why do people post threads about rubbish in the Daily Mail on an almost daily basis?

What's the point in even reading it? We know that much of what they write is completely untrue, so there's no point in sharing it, surely?

Something's worth discussing if it comes from a reasonably credible source. Otherwise, it's not even worth reading, sorry.

 

[djlynwood]

But as Calcyle has mentioned this topic is being discussed by the powers that be and sounds like it will eventually affect all dog owners.
So although the source is questionable, I dont think that the subject is to be ignored.

 

[Tormenta]

I can't see how a Dog Owner can be held responsible for chasing, injuring or killing a cat that enters their garden. Dogs who have an extremely high prey drive or are chasers will get to a cat long before an owner can move or try to recall. I owned a bitch who was a supreme cat hater (She was never taught or encouraged). I went into the garden to retrieve a tool from the shed one morning, she was right with me. As my back was turned picking up the tool there was an unearthly noise which scared the bejesus out of me and she had spotted a neighbours cat hidden under our bush next to the shed and she meant business. Thankfully I managed to grab her and get her away, her face was bleeding but the cat took off and was alright ( I checked with my neighbour) only slobber and hair missing. How can you be prosecuted for an incident like that? Silly.

 

[FionaM12]

But as Calcyle has mentioned this topic is being discussed by the powers that be and sounds like it will eventually affect all dog owners.
So although the source is questionable, I dont think that the subject is to be ignored.

I take your point, but why not put a link to decent source or just open the topic for discussion?

But then, it puzzles me why anyone would read the DM let alone buy it.

 

[pip6]

We leave the Landrover unlocked at horse events with the dog in it. Anyone who can get past her in one piece & steal the car deserves it, if they have any limbs left to drive it away with. Our postman loves dogs, including our other 2, but he hates her (it's mutual - she loved the previous Postie, would roll over for tummy rubs). She's not a big dog (collie) but no-one makes it past the gate uninvited. There is a warning sign on the gate.

 

[Lego]

How ridiculous! Normally wouldn't read that kind of thing - but there is a grain of truth in every story...

V concerned to hear about potential laws regarding inside of cars etc. As far as I'm concerned, unless you live in the sticks, dogs shouldn't be loose where they can get loose - eg onto the road, front yard etc. But if the dog was in the back garden, if anyone is in there uninvited, they are in my private property and trespassing - I own it so why on earth should they have any rights to go in there??

It's like the cases where a burglar has injured themselves and successfully claimed - surely they should be prosecuted for being there in the first place?