Dogs who bite should be put down

I know this is a controversial subject but one I feel very strongly about and make no apology for airing it. If a dog bites someone, unprovoked, and the bite requires medical attention it should be immediately put down. My grandson, then two, was bitten by a neighbour's dog on the face, now six, he still has the scars! He did nothing to provoke the attack and the dog should have been put down in case it went on to attack another child. My daughter didn't report the owners to the police as they were friends and the animal wasn't dispatched as it should have been. I think medics should have a duty to inform the police if they treat a dog bite, and let them decide if the animal presents a danger to the public. Too many children are killed or injured by dogs.

I also think dog owners should be required by law to take a course in the training and management of dogs before being permitted to own one. A licence should be imposed and the animal subjected to an MOT every year when it is renewed!

Re: Dogs who bite should be put down

I partly agree with you. If a dog bites a child then it should certainly be assessed, even if the bite was not that serious, as the next bite could be. If there was no alternative then it should be put down but I think all avenues should be investigated first but certainly it should never ever be able to have contact with children in the future.
I would never trust any dog, even my own loveable three, to be alone with children and it really makes me cross when you see in the news a child that has been attacked by the so called family pet which in most cases could be avoided.
A completely unprovoked savage attack on a child by a dog should result in the dog being put down as it is obviously unpredictable. I also agree with the Dogs Trust who is wary of homing dogs where small children reside as the history of the dog is usually unknown.

Re: Dogs who bite should be put down

However, I do not agree with your last paragraph as I do not see how you could enforce it as the good dog owners would attend but the bad ones wouldn't. Also a licence would again only be purchased by people like me who are responsible dog owners and not the irresponsible ones. Most dogs already have their MOT at the vets, well mine do anyway. It would help more if there was a restriction in breeding, puppy farms closed down, and all pet dogs were neutered.

Re: Dogs who bite should be put down

Just because it might be hard to enforce doesn't mean it shouldn't happen. I also think microchips and pet insurance should be mandatory too and a requirement to have the animal neutured/spayed, there are far too many dogs in this country, judging by the number in rescue centres. If you wish to breed you should have to have a licence to do so and a checks should be made to see you are a suitable person to undertake this activity. Not far from us is a sign, which is up almost all year around,"Sheep dog puppies for sale". Looking at the grotty enterance to the property concerned, with broken down rusty vehicles I am willing to bet the breeding dogs can't be in a very good state.

If a dog owner was required to show their licence on demand by the police if some violation has occured like the dog messing in the street I reckon it would be a good thing.

Re: Dogs who bite should be put down

You`re talking tosh, love
It`s an animal. It`s as silly as saying horses who throw their riders should be shot. Or cats who kill birds should be killed.
Animals are animals. They have their own defences. If the owner or handler is too stupid, ignorant or lazy to train the dog, the owner should be punished.
More kids are hurt by their own parents than are ever hurt by dogs. Does that mean we can kill parents too?

Re: Dogs who bite should be put down

Qetta, To say ALL dogs should be put down is a sweeping statement.

Like buttercup says, each case should be investigated, there are many reasons why a dog could bite.
Like humans, dogs can get jealous if they think that they are being
pushed further down the pecking order.
Owners of any animal should think of how the animal will cope when
its enviromnment cicumstances change.
Owners who have dogs should be extra vigalent if there is a child in
the home.
Domestic Dogs are desendants from the wolf and therefore have a natural
instinct at times to act like a wolf.

Who is to say if the attack was unprovoked?
Unless the attack is fully witnessed then you can not say it was
an 'unprovked attack'.

Watch a child attack another one for what may seem to be no reason. The way a
child re-acts towards another can not always be seen as unprovked, a face
pull or a gesture that enrages the other child due to some previously
unknow comments could spark the attack. Does that mean that the child
is wrong and should be put down (chastised severely)?

There are two sides to every story.

Medics and hospital staff have to report dog bites just like they have
to report gunshot wounds.

IMO some types of dogs should be banned from the breeding system.
I also wonder why we need to breed dogs when there are so many dogs needing homes.

Provokative statement:-
Anyone who pays for a dog, other than through adoption needs their head examined. There are so many wonderful breeds of dogs just crying out for a new home.(ducks from the flack)
We can not keep more dogs in the home, we dont think it would be fair on our dog, but we have adopted some that are in need plus lonely Donkeys as well.

Re: Dogs who bite should be put down

Anti-brown, better to be safe rather than sorry, a child's life is worth a million more than that of dog, imo.

Re: Dogs who bite should be put down

Not to the dog it isnt.
Dog type Animals were on this planet long before human type animals.

Does that mean that Jack the Rippers life was more important than lassie's?

Sweeping statements do not cover all circumstances.

Re: Dogs who bite should be put down

When I was young if a dog bit anyone it was giving second chance if it bit someone again it was put down.

Re: Dogs who bite should be put down

It's the owners who should be put down!