Greater Manchester Police shoot dead an XL bully….

[Tiddlypom]

But, what was the alternative? Presumably if they tried sealing off the street the dog could have legged it by the time they had done that. I imagine it was a case of needing to act immediately.

Better trained marksmen.

The danger to residents hiding inside their homes from being hit by ricocheting bullets was very real.

 

[Cortez]

Better trained marksmen.

The danger to residents hiding inside their homes from being hit by ricocheting bullets was very real.

But also highly unlikely. Hand guns are not the best thing to use for accuracy at distance, a rifle with scope is what should be used (along with someone who can hit a barn door). Firing guns is always, always potentially dangerous - that’s kinda the whole point of guns - but fact remains that nobody was hurt*, a few cars were dinged and the dog was taken out before anyone else got attacked. Better training for managing animals would seem to be a much needed priority for the police force.

*ricochets don’t occur with anything like the frequency or effect depicted in the movies. I won’t bore you all with the mechanics.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Thing is its a breed of dog that is meant to be muzzled in public and it wasn't they are known for attacking and killing people.

What if the police didn't act and it kills someone while on the rampage.

Then they would be blamed for not doing enough so I think sometime the police just can't win with whatever they do.

Personally if it was loose near me I wouldn't be happy about it so I think it was the right thing.

 

[Tiddlypom]

My late Dad spent far too much of his work time in theatre attempting to save the sight of people shot in the face by bullets which had ended up somwhere they were not intended to go.

He was, and I am, all too aware of the dangers of a miss shot.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

May be they should have tried standing still and not chasing it. I would have thought they would have had a better chance of hitting it if they weren't moving too. It appeared to be running away from them, not just blindly bolting.

 

[Landcruiser]

Of course the owner should have, that goes without saying - my objection is to the wisdom and necessity of firing several rounds in a very built up area simply because they couldn’t catch the dog.

Whilst it was definitely not an XL bully, I caught a stray dog in town yesterday - no collar or ID tag, skipping through the traffic. About Labrador sized, staffy cross. Got hold of it, put a lead on it, popped in my car and took it to the local vets for scanning. The vets wouldn’t go anywhere near the dog and asked me to scan it, just because it growled once in the reception area. It was an absolute poppet and I’d have taken it home, there was no need at all for the vets to react like they did.

Not nearly the seriousness of the Manchester incident of course, but an example of why I can’t understand people’s attitudes to dogs

Clearly you find it difficult to empathise. Some people are afraid of dogs, and often with good reason. Not the case with vets and vet staff (of which I am one) who are used to strays being brought in and also used to the unpredictable nature of some dogs, especially in stressful situations. If this dog "growled once in the reception area" the staff were absolutely correct and sensible to be wary of it. Even some dogs that are perfectly happy in "normal life" can be stressed and become fear aggressive in vet practices. Since you had brought the dog in it was perfectly reasonable to hand you the scanner, rather than yet another random, potentially scary person to get hold of the dog and start waving scanners behind its head.

You seem to be judging the vet staff and finding them wanting in some way, enough to be writing about them on social media, for doing exactly what they should have.

 

[SkylarkAscending]

let’s just say I was somewhat surprised at the “you are the mug who was prepared to rescue this dog that you’d never met before from dodging the traffic so you get bitten, we aren’t going to” approach

 

[Carmen6]

If an animal needs to be neutralised in an emergency situation, do it quickly, efficiently and with professionalism.

That situation could have gone better.

I hope those that can make a difference care enough to implement better training in the future. If for nothing more than public image and relations, at least these animals will benefit from a faster death.

 

[Landcruiser]

let’s just say I was somewhat surprised at the “you are the mug who was prepared to rescue this dog that you’d never met before from dodging the traffic so you get bitten, we aren’t going to” approach

Well why should they? If the vet gets bitten, how are they going to treat the rest of the pets they have to see that day? It's NOT their job to deal with strays (it's the Dog Warden's job). They do it of course, but it's sensible to take precautions and as few risks as possible. You were already handling the dog, as I said, why add someone else into the mix? It was absolutely your choice to catch the dog, which could easily have bitten you - you had no way of knowing it wouldn't.

 

[SkylarkAscending]

Well why should they? If the vet gets bitten, how are they going to treat the rest of the pets they have to see that day? It's NOT their job to deal with strays (it's the Dog Warden's job). They do it of course, but it's sensible to take precautions and as few risks as possible. You were already handling the dog, as I said, why add someone else into the mix? It was absolutely your choice to catch the dog, which could easily have bitten you - you had no way of knowing it wouldn't.

Quite honestly I’m not nearly as stressed about the situation as you appear to be - I used it as an example, that was all, I wasn’t trying to major on it. Not everyone shares my approach to dogs, yes I find that odd simply because I’ve found my approach works, that’s all Others have different experiences I’m sure.

 

[SilverLinings]

This incident was discussed on this thread yesterday (and is ongoing):

Another fatal dog attack

7 month old baby fatally bitten by the family dog-apparently not an xl. 😢 https://news.sky.com/story/coventry-baby-girl-dies-after-being-attacked-by-pet-dog-at-home-13155513

forums.horseandhound.co.uk

I don't think the people on the street with the police (including the guy who appeared to be trying to catch/chase the dog) were its owners. From the press reports yesterday two people were arrested for aggressively interfering, and the police were still trying to find the owner of the dog. As it would have been chipped if it was registered I presume it wasn't (or the registration had the wrong address).

It is amazing how many of these dog (registered and not) seem to escape into built up areas, it is extremely rare that I see any kind of dog straying. The last could of attacks seemed to be dogs who had escaped from their home, which is https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/threads/another-fatal-dog-attack.826095/page-162stupid of any owner who's dog is unregistered.

As I posted on the other thread, I think the police were stuck between a rock and a hard place, but I think there needs to be some sort of national strategy on the capture/control and destruction of dangerous dogs. After the calf incident, I think it would help if there was also guidance on capturing other species, and assessing risk posed by different animals.

 

[skinnydipper]

I don't think the people on the street with the police (including the guy who appeared to be trying to catch/chase the dog) were its owners

In the video the man in the street with the police and the dog said 'please don't kill me dog'. How he intended to get hold of his dog and restrain it, I don't know. It didn't have a collar on and he didn't have a lead.

 

[SkylarkAscending]

In the video the man in the street with the police and the dog said 'please don't kill me dog'. How he intended to get hold of his dog and restrain it, I don't know. It didn't have a collar on and he didn't have a lead.

Oh such assumptions I walked up to the dog I’d never met before and said “hey sweetie how are you”…. dog responded with wagging tail.

I said “sit!” - even though my two do not know the command - the dog sat.

You cannot know how a dog will respond unless you try - I went back to my car, grabbed a lead, secured the dog.

But obvs this is a psycho XL bully which will natch savage everyone in the vicinity

 

[SilverLinings]

Oh such assumptions I walked up to the dog I’d never met before and said “hey sweetie how are you”…. dog responded with wagging tail.

I said “sit!” - even though my two do not know the command - the dog sat.

You cannot know how a dog will respond unless you try - I went back to my car, grabbed a lead, secured the dog.

But obvs this is a psycho XL bully which will natch savage everyone in the vicinity

I know you are experienced with dogs, but please be careful. The amount of dogs (mainly XLBs) that have been reported to have turned aggressive 'out of nowhere' recently is worrying, so I would be wary with a stray if it was a larger breed. It is lovely for the dog that you took care of it, but it won't be lovely for your dogs if you get hurt.

I mean this in a nice way, not having a dig!

 

[SkylarkAscending]

I know you are experienced with dogs, but please be careful. The amount of dogs (mainly XLBs) that have been reported to have turned aggressive 'out of nowhere' recently is worrying, so I would be wary with a stray if it was a larger breed. It is lovely for the dog that you took care of it, but it won't be lovely for your dogs if you get hurt.

I mean this in a nice way, not having a dig!

I understand that, thank you. It won’t change the way I approach dogs, that’s just my way I guess.

 

[skinnydipper]

Oh such assumptions I walked up to the dog I’d never met before and said “hey sweetie how are you”…. dog responded with wagging tail.

I said “sit!” - even though my two do not know the command - the dog sat.

You cannot know how a dog will respond unless you try - I went back to my car, grabbed a lead, secured the dog.

But obvs this is a psycho XL bully which will natch savage everyone in the vicinity

Obviously the owner didn't have a way with dogs, the way you do , because the dog continued to evade capture and was shot.

I like eye roll emojis too

 

[SkylarkAscending]

Obviously the owner didn't have a way with dogs, the way you do , because the dog continued to evade capture and was shot.

I like eye roll emojis too

Oh yes I know that already

 

[Teaselmeg]

A friend of mine, who is very dog savy, tried to help a GSD that was running around, looking lost in her local town. She ended up in hospital with scarring for life, because said dog was a drug dealers dog, trained to attack people and had got out of his garden. Always best to approach any loose dog with a degree of caution