So I Guess We'll Never Know What His Last Request Would Have Been...

A Staffordshire Bull Terrier on death row has been given a reprieve after his owner's legal team raised thousands of pounds.

Ummmm.... What?

Incredibly, it's this notorious beast:

Barrister Ali Rafati, who waived his fees, helped raise money with fellow barristers and lawyers and other friends outside the legal profession.

Dr Anne McBride, who examined Dre for the defence team, waived part of her fee and then raised money with her students at Southampton University.

Mr Rafati said the charity would have taken Dre without the donations but added the trust was "on the brink". He added: "To my knowledge this is the only charity which can help with dogs such as Dre.

"The dog will remain at the trust until such time they think he can rehomed."

People - and lawyers!! - raise money. For a savage dog.

It's victim? Oh, who cares about her?

PC Campbell spent three hours in surgery, her arm wound requiring 29 stitches after the incident.

You couldn't make it up...

Compare And Contrast, Part 237

Dangerous dog attack 1:

The PCSO from the Cray Valley West Safer Neighbourhood Team was on patrol in Rookery Gardens, St Mary Cray, at 12.15pm on December 5 when two terrier type animals ran out from an alleyway beside a house and began to attack her.

They bit her several times on her arms and legs, causing her to fall to the floor and continued even after she was on the ground.

The dogs were seized by officers and are now in a specialist animal unit.

The 32-year-old female owner of the dogs has been questioned by police for having dogs dangerously out of control in a public place and the animals will now be destroyed.

Dangerous dog attack 2:

Dean told the court Mrs Sage may not be certain whether it was his dog or his daughter’s who had bitten her.

He accepted that the dog he had taken from Mrs Sage after the incident was his, but he said the incident had happened some distance from where he retrieved his dog.

"I didn't see how it started,” he said.

"I think Mrs Sage was in complete chaos and pandemonium and was confused,” he said. He said he accepted he had let the dogs out of their kennel but said the only time they would be loose was when he cleaned the kennels twice a day.

"It was very unfortunate timing,” he said.

"I am not blaming Mrs Sage for their predicament. However, there were riderless horses running loose on my property. Some people were also shouting and waving sticks.

"I am not saying they deserved this. But they were responsible for letting the horses loose.”

Hmmm. What a difference, eh? I can't wait to see if there's any discernible difference between the woman's claims vs the police dog trainer's.

I guess he learned a few things while he sat in court listening to all the usual excuses...

A Bit Of Consistency Would Be Nice…

A man has been banned from keeping dogs for 10 years after his dog launched a savage attack on another dog that was "worse then a horror film".

Horrified people at the scene desperately tried to pull the Staffordshire bull terrier off its victim – but its jaws were clamped so tightly around the other dog's neck, it took three sedative injections before its teeth could finally be forced open.

Injections? Surely it would have only taken one good hard blow with a hammer?

Clint Chambers, mitigating, said Brown agreed to have the dog put down shortly after the incident.

He had owned the dog for only about two weeks before the attack but, in that time, there had been two earlier incidents involving other dogs, including one when Tyson had bitten another dog.

And that didn’t worry him?

On the latest occasion, Brown allowed the dog off his lead and Tyson ran around the corner.

Brown assumed the dog was running back home and claimed he had not been warned by the previous owner about Tyson's behaviour.

So? He’d seen two incidents in the two short weeks he’d owned it! 

Oh, and what did he do while passers-by and a vet were trying to help? The usual, for these types. Nothing:

"Everything was happening too fast for him," said Mr Chambers. Brown "froze"...

Yes. While the other people desperately tried to get the attacking dog away for long enough for a vet to be called. That’s one long, long freeze!

Unemployed Brown, who had no previous convictions, was given an eight-week 7pm to 7am curfew and was ordered to pay £132.47 compensation for vet's bills and £85 costs.

In other words, we’ll be paying it. As always.

At least in Grimsby, they do take it seriously enough for court action. Meanwhile, in Reading, nothing at all happens:

A pensioner is warning people in the Oxford Road area to be on their guard against a dog which savaged his mongrel. The 75-year-old was walking his three-year-old dog when a Staffordshire bull terrier which was off its lead attacked his pet.

He was left with a £200 vet bill but has been told there is little the police or the RSPCA can do.

Really? And why not? The owner seems to be the same useless type as the first:

Samuel said: “The woman let the staffie off the lead and it made a beeline for my dog and attacked him. It bit him severely and I spent a good 15 minutes trying to separate them. When it got hold of my dog the woman said, ‘that’s what staffies do’. She was just watching and did nothing to help.

Maybe the suggestion kiddies might be at risk and the dog isn’t the ‘normal’ type might move them?

Samuel is concerned the attack happened close to Norcot Nursery. He said: “What I'm really worried about is that that dog didn’t look right to me – it looked as if it was something more than a staffie.”

Samuel reported the incident to the police but was told there was little they could do about a dog-on-dog attack. The RSPCA said it was unable to take any action if the police did not.

Oh. Guess not.

But in Kidderminster, they take tree-savaging seriously, never mind animal-savaging!

Wyre Forest District Council understands owners are training their dogs to fight in St George’s Park by making them attack the bases of trees which is destroying the bark. It appears to be mainly Staffordshire Bull Terriers which are causing the damage and local residents are being urged to contact the police with any information.

Eh? Surely they will fob you off? After all, if they aren’t concerned with dog-eat-dog, dog-eat-tree must be waaaaay down on the list?

Residents are being urged to contact West Mercia Police on 101, quoting the incident reference number 112/S/141112. Any information about owner’s size, clothes, hair colour, ethnicity and the colour of the dog would be appreciated.

I guess not.

Now, I'm all for localism, but this is just ridiculous! Surely we need some consistency, to prevent this postcode lottery of police action versus inaction?

Well, Perhaps If You Did More About It, Rather Than Taking The Easy Way Out?

A surge in the popularity of so-called status pets has left Sussex facing its toughest fight against dangerous dogs. Sussex Police’s dog unit has already seized 48 potentially deadly animals in 2012 – up from 16 in 2011 and 29 in 2010.

The rise is largely being put down a rise in the popularity of status dogs such as pit bulls and Staffordshire bull terriers.

Cue police spokesmen bemoaning this state of affairs to local newshound:

Police dog handler PC Will Durant said: “It’s the worst it has ever been – the last year or so has been terrible.

“People having these status dogs appears to be the main problem but there is also a great deal of ignorance on behalf of many owners.”

Gosh, we need someone to do something about it, clearly.

Some sort of…uniformed force…who could deal with dangerous situations? Hmmm. Where are we going to find such people?

Inspector Diane Lewis, the force’s senior dog officer, said: “Some of the dogs we get called to deal with are crazed.

“People need to think about the type of dog they are getting and be sure that the breed is suitable.

“We would encourage people to go to puppy training and socialise their dog as much as possible. ”

These people don’t ‘socialise’ their children! What on earth makes you think they will do a better job with their pets?

Meanwhile, the attacks continue, and so long as they are on other animals, the police shrug and say ‘Nuffin’ to do wiv us, innit?’

Shaken dog owner says it was "like a scene from a horror film" after her cocker spaniel was pounced on and mauled by two Staffordshire Terriers. Valerie Gambier, of Claremont Gardens, has sent out a warning to other dog walkers after the attack on Remembrance Sunday in Gossmore Park.

She’s had to ‘send out a warning’ because…well, you can guess why, can’t you?

Thames Valley Police have issued the owner of the offending animals with an adult restorative disposal - a form of caution or reprimand for low level crime. However, due to the fact no people were involved and it was a dog on dog attack it is not considered a case of an animal dangerously out of control, police said.

…

Police said disposals such as that issued to the Staffordshire Terriers' owner were introduced to deal with offenders without bringing them into the Criminal Justice system and allow the victim to say what they would like to happen - often just acceptance of wrongdoing and an apology.

Well, I rather doubt it in this case, because the lady’s out of pocket:

Mrs Gambier had paid £75 for vets bills by Wednesday but was expecting to pay more.

And no doubt the police will whine that she should pursue a civil case for reimbursement. And will continue to wonder why the public doesn't support them any more.

Oh, So Suddenly ‘Dog On Dog’ Attacks Are A Police Matter?

Or…does it only apply to working dogs?

A guide dog needed emergency treatment and 10 stitches to puncture wounds to his neck after a vicious dog attack.

Hmmm. What sort of dog?

… a white bull terrier type dog lunged and grabbed him by the face and neck.

Ah. What a surprise.

Two builders working nearby intervened to pull the attacking dog off and its owners left the area quickly after a number of passers by became involved.

What a pity the builders didn’t string ‘em up on the scaffolding…

Tony Cook from Guide Dogs said: "This incident clearly illustrates the importance of making sure that dogs are under the control of their owners at all times."

No! Stop generalising! What this incident illustrates is the growing threat of unsuitable owners with no control over their ‘pets’.

Describing the support she received Kane's owner, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: "I'd like to thank the people in Leigh who came to help me and looked after me whilst I was so upset.

Guide dogs have said they have been inundated with people phoning their centre in Atherton asking if Kane and I are ok. "The police are being very supportive and are trying to locate the people with this the dog. I've only had Kane for 8months, before I had him I hardly went out, he has changed my life."

It’s nice to see the police actually taking the view that this is a matter for them.

But why? Why is this not a service available to all? Is it 'special victim' status?

Oh, Yes It IS ‘Appropriate'!

Emma Gregory, 20, was handed a suspended jail term for allowing her dog, Tia, to maul the boy as he walked home from school with his mother.

I told you her and her ilk were winning, didn't I?

Both Tia and Gregory’s other pit bull-type dog, Mia, who have been housed in kennels at a cost of more than £3,000 since the attack, will now be put down.

Well, two troublesome bitches down, anyway. Gregory, sadly, is set to live a lot longer and cost us a lot, lot more…

Judge Robert Crawford said a compensation order towards the victim was ‘not appropriate’ as Gregory is the single mother of an 18-month-old boy and lives on benefits.

And yet, amazingly, she managed to buy and feed two large ‘pets’. And I guess she doesn't have any personal possessions other than the clothes on her back, eh?

*muses*

Does she need both kidneys?

Oh, Guess Who’s Paying? Again!

Rottweilers Posh and Becks have been spared a death sentence by a court – despite the pets attacking another dog.

Ah, yes. This case.

…magistrates did not approve the destruction order at a hearing yesterday. Instead they ordered ice cream salesman Hansell, of Swan Bank, Talke, to pay £214 to cover bulldog Harry’s vet’s bill, a further £300 to Mr Pulizzi for loss of earnings and £100 to the victim for his injuries.

Following the case, father-of-three Hansell says the money is secondary to saving the lives of his pets, which are named after celebrity couple David and Victoria Beckham.

Well, he would say that, wouldn't he. Besides, he’s not paying. We are.

Hansell, who was also handed a 12-month conditional discharge, will pay £10 per fortnight to settle the compensation bill after the court heard he was on benefits following the collapse of his business.

*sighs*

He was also told to keep the dogs on a lead in all public places and install two barriers to keep them on his property.

District Judge Andrew Jones said: “My concern is whether the dogs will cause more issues and it is agreed the steps put in place will ensure no future problems will arise.”

Will they? Gosh! Judge Jones can apparently predict the future!

So, Leads Are The Answer, Eh?

Yes, it’s the perennial cry of the comment-column and letter-page denizens of all local newspaper stories about dog attacks. If only we have laws demanding all dogs were leashed in public, all would be well.

Well…

A pensioner has told of his horror after being dragged to the floor by a dog while trying to save his puppy from its jaws. Barry Craig, 67, of Diana Close, Alverstoke was walking his five-month-old pedigree puppy at Queens Parade shops, off Privett Road, when another dog, which he believes was a Staffordshire bull terrier cross, attacked.

They were both on leads. Little good it did.

A police spokesperson said that as the other dog was on a lead, no further action will be taken by police.

If it had launched itself at a police dog, I wonder if they’d have taken the same view?

Mr Craig is unhappy that the other owner could do little to stop the attack. He said: ‘What’s the point of having a dog on a lead if you can’t control it?’

Well, indeed…

Meanwhile, in Chesterfield:

A woman was knocked out when she fell from a panic-stricken horse being attacked by a dog, Chesterfield magistrates heard.

What sort of dog? Ah. Well…

. Elizabeth Christian was riding along a bridlepath at Broadmeadows, South Normanton on June 16 when the horse panicked as a Staffordshire bull terrier-labrador cross, ignored calls from its owner and snapped at the horse…The horse suffered puncture wounds and bites. Clarke, 36, told police the 18-month-old rescue dog had slipped its lead.

/facepalm

Here, police weren't so reluctant to put the case before a magistrate, for which they should be praised, though it did little good:

JPs decided not to have the dog destroyed, but ordered it must be kept muzzled and on a lead in public areas for two years…The dog control order was applied to both Clarke and his wife, Terri-Marie Clarke, after Mr Bloore said the couple had separated since the incident and the dog lived with her.

Unless she’s built like Fatima Whitbred, how is she any more likely to be able to control it?

And what do these incidents both have in common? Powerful dogs with unsuitable temperaments and incompetent owners, on leads that proved totally ineffective as a result.

So slapping total blanket legislation on all dog owners is unlikely to be the answer. But I’ll bet it’s the one that’s eventually put in place!

Yet More Brutes On The End Of Leashes…

…which end, I’ll leave you to judge:

Louise said one of the women offered to pay for Millie’s vet’s bills and gave a mobile phone number which turned out to be false.

Shocker, eh?

Following the attack Ms McGuire, from Edmonton, reported the incident to the police, who said they will be making an assessment of the dog who carried out the attack to decide whether it should be classified as “vicious”.

However, according to Ms McGuire, the police say this is a civil dispute. She said this was the second time this particular dog had attacked one of her pets and said that more must be done to prevent further attacks.

I doubt the police will consider it a priority until someone's killed or they themselves are on the end that's got teeth in...

"Apparently the teenage boys who were looking after him dropped the lead by accident which is why he wasn’t on it."

Some 'accident'. And an offer to pay the vet bills looks like merely an attempt to get themselves out of trouble. How, as the lady points out, can they replace her pet?

It doesn't seem to be a concern for most:

Mr Donovan who is staying with his daughter Pauline Matthews in Bedforshire while he gets over the ordeal, said: “It was very distressing. It was so sudden that I couldn’t reach her in time. I gave it four hard kicks to get it off but it had ripped her stomach open and her innards had come out.

“The woman with the dog didn’t seem to care. She didn’t help and there was no response from her, not even an apology. ”

More trash with vicious dogs not caring a whit…

Most of these scum only have pity for themselves:

Speaking outside the court, Mills-Jones said he was “very upset” and believed the two dogs were fighting, rather than his dog attacking his neighbours.

He said: “I don’t know how they test that it was my dog that done it. They (the court) don’t have any consideration about animals.”

/facepalm

The 24-year-old cried throughout the proceedings and asked the court if he could not be forced to litter-pick during his community order.

His defence solicitor Richard Quinn said: “He doesn’t feel he should go around putting right what others have done wrong.”

*boggle*

And then, this:

…the dog’s owner Emma Gregory, 20, has been hauled before Manchester magistrates’ court. She pleaded guilty to having a dog that was dangerously out of control, and a further count of having two fighting dogs.

The court heard that Gregory, of Wheler Street, Openshaw, also owns a second pit bull-type dog called Mia.

She must have a good, well-paying job to afford two large dogs and a baby, eh?

Peter Etherall, defending, said Gregory – the mother of an 18-month-old baby – had never previously had any problems with the dogs. Gregory laughed and waved as she left court.

And why shouldn't she? She is, after all, winning. Along with all her fellow scum. Isn't she?

Good Fences Make Good Neighbours…

…especially when someone else is paying:

Pait, aged 44, appeared before magistrates earlier this week and admitted a charge of being the owner of a dog which was dangerously out of control in a public place.

Judge Bennett placed Pait on a one-month curfew order, ordered her to pay £85 costs and £200 to Mr Thompson, and made a contingency destruction order on the dog to keep it under proper control and muzzled.

He also ordered her to erect high fencing all the way round her house and fit a secure gate so the Alsatian cannot get out. If the orders are breached the case will come back to court for the animal to be destroyed.

That’ll cost her a pretty penny, right?

Wrong:

St Leger Homes, which owns Pait’s council house, has opted not to evict her but will help her comply with District Judge Jonathan Bennett’s order to erect a high fence all the way around her house in Welfare Road, Woodlands.

*sigh*

The court was told Mr Thompson was returning to his home one Saturday morning when he was pounced on by the dog and knocked to the pavement.

When Mrs Brown screamed the owner appeared and called the animal off but Mr Thompson was rendered unconscious and needed hospital treatment for a head injury.

Mr Thompson is 87. He’s lucky to be alive.

The ‘attack’ may not have been anything more than a boisterous dog jumping up at him, though. I can’t find any other report of it.

But unless the cost is being borne by Pait and the agency is merely agreeing to the alterations to comply with the court order, it means she’s getting away with the implicit costs of being a responsible dog owner.

And that’s wrong.

So, Just Who Else Should Bear The Burden?

Mr Justice Collins ruled in her favour, saying that the crown court judge had wrongly decided that "the burden was on Ms Kelleher to establish that the dogs were not a danger to public safety".

The judge should have first considered whether the "new measures and arrangements" were sufficient to stop the dogs being a hazard, he said.

And what 'new measures and arrangements' are we talking about?

She put forward evidence from Dr Roger Mugford – one of the UK's foremost experts on canine behaviour – to back her claims.

Dr Mugford had visited Ms Kelleher at her new home in Knowle, Bristol, the court heard, which is spacious and has a garden, giving the robust animals more room to let off steam.

Dr Mugford stated that with the right precautions – such as microchips for both dogs – Amber and Shadow could be successfully "rehabilitated".

Unless those microchips are implanted in their brains, I really fail to see how that makes a scrap of difference...

Might I Suggest Rothiemay Is Nice This Time Of Year?

After all, what’s a few more?

Convicted dangerous dog owner Nigel Palmer says he is considering leaving North Lincolnshire after he was found guilty of breaching a dog banning order imposed on him last year.

Oh, no, not just that, of course. It never is, with these people, is it?

Nigel Palmer, 58, of Abercorn Street, Scunthorpe stood trial at North Lincolnshire Magistrates’ Court, where he was convicted of breaching an order banning him from being in custody of dogs and of assaulting a police officer.

With a door, rather than a dog. But still…

Palmer has vowed to keep the five German Shepherd dogs and one Rottweiler, which now all belong to his partner Agnes Little.

“The best thing we can do is pack up and leave North Lincolnshire altogether,” he said.

Judging by the comments, the neighbours would be only too happy to see him go…

The incidents that got him banned? Ah, yes:

Nigel Palmer, 57, of Burke Street, Scunthorpe, was sentenced to six months in prison by North Lincolnshire magistrates in February.

This was later reduced to four on appeal.

Palmer did not challenge the order banning him from owning dogs for ten years.

Since he clearly didn't plan on obeying it, why bother?