My Forum

Dustin wrote (see)

Kaska, in fairness they said that human bites are more dangerous (in terms of infection) than dog bites. I'd like to think they don't get many of those...

I phoned them at the time (was trying to decide whether it warranted a visit to A&E or not) and the person I spoke to definitely said they were sterile.  I was amazed that they should suggest this, and asked them to confirm it in case there was some  misunderstanding.  Which, to their discredit, they did. 

Dustin wrote (see)

btw I have been bitten (4yrs ago), nerve /tissue damage & ~15 stitches, but like to think thats a rarity.

Probably not that much of a rarity - about 6000 people a year require hospital treatment for dog inflicted injuries in the UK, and that excludes those who aren't admitted as inpatients (e.g those who go to minor injury clinics or A&E, and those like me who were told by NHS Direct that I didn't need to worry because dog bites were sterile   ). 

This apparently costs the health service about £3.3 million. 

(figures from DEFRA website).

seren nos wrote (see

but a dog running around having fiun isn't out of control........

It is in the eyes of the law if it causes someone to worry for their safety, even if that worry is (in your opinion) unfounded. 

I was bitten by an alsation when I was standing still, waiting for it to move out of the way so I could cross a stream.  The owner explained that it was my fault because I was holding my hat in my hand. 

If a dog isn't able to share a public space with members of the public, it should be muzzled and on a short lead.  That "he's only being friendly" is irrelevant:  many people are afraid of dogs jumping up at them, regardless of their intent.  People ought to be able to use public spaces without being harassed.  I'm not sure where the idea that this is a "free country" comes from - I'm pretty sure there are laws we are expected to abide by, and one of them is that dogs shouldn't be allowed to harass people.  

  To quote from DEFRA's guidance at http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/files/pb13573-dogs-law-you-leaflet-080515.pdf

"Any dog is dangerously out of control if:

• it injures a person, or

• it behaves in a way that makes a person worried that it might injure them.

 The law applies everywhere the general public is allowed to go and anywhere your dog goes where it is not supposed to be. The maximum penalty for allowing a dog you own or are in charge of to be dangerously out of control is two years’ imprisonment, or a fine, or both."