Pup attacked by Staff Dog

[Deleted User]

We were out walking our 9 week old pup. He had had both vaccinations (6 and 8 weeks) and is chipped. At the moment of the attack, he was sitting inbetween my partners legs and was not on lead.., my partner was chatting to another dog owner.

A staff and owner came along, she took him off the lead. Our pup and her dog touched noses and moved away to opposite sides of the path. Nothing unusual noted. Then out of nowhere, the staff dog lunged for our dog and grabbed him by the back of the neck. Both my partner and the staff dog's owner tried to separate the dogs. At one point the staff dog did let go but then grabbed our pup's neck again, but at the front. Our pup was screaming.

Took about a minute, possibly a little longer to get the dogs apart. My partner had his hand in the staff dog's mouth to try and stop him from clamping down further on our pups throat. If he hadn't done this the pup would have died. As attempts to free them didn't work, he pressed on the staff dogs windpipe, after a further few seconds, he let go.

All of us were obviously very distressed. The staff dog owner asked for our phone number, my partner gave it as we rushed our pup off to take it to the vets. Once we were home, I could hear some funny breathing sounds, the pup was obviously very shocked (eyes rolling up in his head), we just rushed him to the vets.

At first we were told it was a very savage attack, it was designed to kill (by the vet) but our pup had been very lucky, he seemed to have concusion.., was very very traumatised but seemed ok. They kept him in overnight and said we could take him home the next day at midday. Once we turned up, in amongst lots of other instructions as he'd need to take antibiotics etc.., the vet did say they had a minor concern about there being damage to the oesophagus but he'd drunk so he'd probably be ok, they'd investigate further the next day.

Brought him home, gave him a drink, it came out his neck. Pup taken instantly back to the vets, the vet operated, found a tear in his oesophagus. We had to transfer him after this to the PDSA hospital as our bank account had nothing left. Two days later he was discharged, again on antibiotics. Been working with him to re-socialise him, he's due to have his stitches out today.., two weeks after the attack.

The vets fees have cost £500. We didn't have insurance. If we had purchased insurance on the day we bought the dog, the normal PetPlan/large insurance company policies don't allow u to claim within the first month so even if we had had insurance, its unlikely we would have been able to claim (we have now got insurance with just a week exclusion from a smaller company but at the time, that's what we found). Couldn't keep the dog in for a further month as we knew the ideal time to socialise is before 12 weeks.

The incident was reported to the police. Initially the police were going for 'restitution' ie. getting the staff dog owner to pay our vet fee's. As our pup's injuries became apparent and we were less shocked by what had happened, we become more and more concerned about public safety issues and wanted the attacking dog assessed.

According to what we can find if its a dog on dog incident, the Dangerous Dogs Act doesn't come into force. As my partner was injured during the attack, even though the injury was caused separating the two dogs, it does.

See http://www.endangereddogs.com/ . The relevant bit (under Penalties) says
Penalties:
Aggravated Offences: An aggravated offence is committed if injury has been caused to any person. Injury to another animal, including another dog or a cat is not classed as an aggravated offence. The most common type of aggravated offence we encounter is in cases where two dogs have has a disagreement in an open space and a dog owner has been bitten by mistake, usually on the hand, in the heat of the moment whilst separating the two dogs.
Aggravated offences can be heard before the Magistrates’ Court or brought before the Crown Court and taken before a jury.


We are concerned because the attack was so vicious, the owner has since said the dog has two triggers (squeaky toys and cats) but this doesn't explain why it lunged for our pup who was sitting quietly in between my partners legs.., so it is likely the dog has other triggers. These are in my opinion a public safety concern. The dog needs to be assessed by someone qualified to do it.



The police seem to think they can go for either getting a warrant to assess the dog OR go for restoration - getting our pet fees back. Not both.


Why?

jumpedtheshark

Is this intended to be inflammatory deja vu? Whilst it's very sad a puppy was injured, peoples of the pet forum, I'd advise ignoring this.

gettingready

Sorry to hear about your pup. Hope he recovers well.

About insurance - if you had him insured you WOULD have been covered as accidents are covered straight away, it is ilness that is excluded for a month from taking out insurance.

vivatifosi

My parent's dog was attacked by another dog and the vet's bill was about £700 (from memory). The dog owners were quick to pay. Had exactly the same thing with the Dangerous Dogs Act, as an act it doesn't support other dogs at all.

I do think it is reasonable for the other owner to pay for your dog's vet fees and any further fees required during recuperation. I would also tell them - unemotionally so that it doesn't seem like you are on the attack - of what the vet said to you. A good dog owner will want to know this as this may affect how they manage their dog's behaviour going forward.

[Deleted User]

jumpedtheshark wrote: »

Is this intended to be inflammatory deja vu? Whilst it's very sad a puppy was injured, peoples of the pet forum, I'd advise ignoring this.

I realise this could be an upsettting post but I'm afraid I've reported the incident as it happens, as unemotionally as possible. I haven't flamed any type of dog as that's not my way. I do need advice though on the legalities of the situation.

The insurance policies I looked at just said 'claim's' would be excluded within the first month, they didn't specify what sort of claims. But obviously it would have saved a little trauma if I'd have found the policy I have now found earlier. Hindsight is 20/20 unfortunately. Obviously we are now full of what if's every day.

jumpedtheshark

deannatrois wrote: »

I realise this could be an upsettting post but I'm afraid I've reported the incident as it happens, as unemotionally as possible. I haven't flamed any type of dog as that's not my way. I do need advice though on the legalities of the situation.

Your previous thread on the incident:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4232737

[Deleted User]

Honestly.., this is ridiculous. I purposely reposted this on the pets forum because where I posted it before wasn't overly helpful. I've clarified some things as we are now two weeks on to give a fuller explanation of the situation.

People who look on the 'vents' part of the forum aren't going to necessarily look here.

MissKeith

You are clearly biased against Staffies though. That's not exactly going to earn you a lot of sympathy on here. Hope Bear gets better soon though, poor pup. I don't think you were wise in letting him out off lead so soon, especially uninsured.

I find it hard to believe your puppy is fully trained and vaccinated at 6 weeks old too... You claim the Staffie owner didn't know what she was doing, doesn't seem like you do either.

getcarter

So you didn't get everyone agreeing with you last time you thought you'd have another go.......

lostinrates

It is terrible to have a dog, of any age, but especially a puppy, attacked BUT, you puppy should NoT have been, off the lead (he cannot, simply cannot, have guaranteed recall yet) and I am surprised he was vaccinated so early.

Puppies are still learning good socialisation and ' doggy' manners, just as children are more likely to make faux pas when small, and it is always unwise to let a puppy attempt to socialise with any unknown dog in the very early weeks of ownership and months of the puppies life.

Welshwoofs

I don't understand why you've reposted this Op. You got lots of answers on your other thread from dog owners. I'm just going to repeat what I said there:

1. If you got your pup from a reputable breeder it would have come with a puppy pack that included one month's free insurance that would have been in place already that you could claim on.
2. If you didn't go to a reputable breeder (and I suspect you didn't considering how young this puppy appears to have been when you had it), then it's worth contacting the Staffie owner because if she's insured she'll have a 'third party' component that would cover your veterinary bills.

Dog on dog attacks do unfortunately happen sometimes and if both owners are calm and reasonable can be sorted out privately. You're in contact with the other owner....so why not just tell her what the costs were and ask her to pay? Why all the drama about trying to invoke the Dangerous Dogs Act....or is this a case that you simply want to get some 'revenge' against the dog?