baby girl killed in dog attack

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-29491535

another one

Yes, I heard So awful...

I saw this yesterday. It's indescribably tragic and I feel so sorry for everyone involved.

I've got to be honest and say that I am awaiting the outcome on the tests for the dog's breed with trepidation.

From hearsay, I've heard 'pit-bull-type' dog.

Pit Bull , followed by all the usual pictorials

Yeah I know - the "ferocious, snarling" stock pictures.

Whatever the breed - from Chihuahua to Great Dane - the loss of this little baby's life is unbearably tragic.

Terrible. Poor baby, and her poor family.

My heart goes out to them.

This is so tragic. My heart goes to the family.

Quote
"Chris Over, from Daventry District Council, said the death was a "wake-up call" to bring back dog licensing."
End quote.

Do you not have to register/license your dogs there?
While I believe you can have as many dogs as you like, ( we do not have that freedom here) seemingly no matter the size of the property, I did think you'd at least have to declare dogs to the council.

Nope no licence or anything here Tracy, and no we don't have to tell the council!

Ella.... my jaw is on the floor! One minute to think... I am actually dumbfounded.

Ok....

Are you telling me that no matter the size of your apartment, house, farm, be it in town or country that you can have as many dogs as you want (without a permit), without the council even knowing how many dogs are on every property or you paying registration yearly for every cat or dog you own????

We cant even have more than 5 fowls without a permit! (Roosters are not allowed on any residential property. Drakes are.)

Do you all not have to prove ownership my microchip?

Registed here means the council has a record of you owning the animal.
Licenced (we just say registered as both are linked) means you have paid to keep the animal for another year.
You cannot register an animal without microchipped proof of ownership (which is done before an animal can be legally sold.) & once  registered, if you don't pay the licensing (registration) fee yearly you will be fined heavily unless you notify the council &/or prove the animal has been resold, lost or is deceased.

You cannot have more than 2 dogs on a block here without an expensive permit or unless you are zoned as rural. Then you're allowed to have 4 without a permit.

To get a permit, the ranger inspects the property & conditions etc & you pay an additional fee each year to retain the permit on top of licensing fees.

The maximum here without a permit is, 2 dogs, 2 cats, 5 fowl. & you cannot have 3 dogs if you only have 1 cat to make up the numbers.

The only licence needed here is to breed, and even then only if you have more than (I think) two breeding bitches - it nay even be more.

Microchipping law has only just been introduced here, but doesn't come into full effect until 2016.

Licences to own a dog were scrapped here in the late 70s because they just didn't work. The powers that be wouldn't spend what was needed to police the licences & so it just no use whatsoever.

Am I right in thinking that you also have to have your dogs neutered in Australia? I would strongly oppose any licencing law that insisted on that.

But licences don't stop dog attacks.

Microchipping has been law here since before I got Jess. Even the rotties were microchipped though it was not law, registration was. So that's 20ish yrs registration has been law here.

Registering dogs does work well here but it is also enforced. Registration (licence) fees are used to fund rangers here. & I will say most people do the right thing, but there are those who think the laws don't apply to them. They are dealt with quite harshly here if found to have unregistered dogs. I believe it's up to a few thousand dollars if it goes to court. Our councils link in with the microchip registers. Eg. Mum got Molly. Her microchip was instantly transfered to her name & address. Within a wk she had a letter from the council welcoming molly to the community with registration papers included.

Oh.... & before a permit is issued, after the ranger says the conditions are fine for additional animals, a letter is sent to all neighbours within 5 blocks all round to object for any reason.

I remember a a small child back in the 70's, even Pepi ( our 1st family dog had a rego tag on his collar. Mum said it was our ph no so if he got lost someone could call us to come get him.) So we're up to 40 odd yrs of registering dogs here.

I am trully amazed you don't register dogs there!

As for desexing..... absolutely not! Kind of, there are rules, but no. You do not have to.
The conditions are....
2 prices for registration.  Base price or 3x as much.
It is done to in courage desexing for anyone not a registered breeder.
Base price....You must have your animal desexed, as a breeding dog (vet certified) , over 10 yrs of age, obedience trained via 1 of 7 schools here in Victoria, registered with Greyhound racing Victoria or be a farm or assistance dog.

Registration will never stop attacks. But it does stop people having too many dogs on a property which can cause a whole host of problems if not managed well.

We're so off topic.
I feel so much empathy for this childs family. Though I know it is not possible, I hope they are all ok & can get through this.

My mums friends shepards attacked her grand daughter at meal time. Her face was simply too close to their food. Something they were not used to. The child should simply not have been allowed to be that close! (The exact reason i look like a fool groveling on the ground teaching mine its ok for anyone to take their food or bones, there will always be more).She had numerous surgeries to rebuild her face. Both dogs were PTS. The grandmother has never forgiven herself.

Sorry for the book. I'm so astounded, shocked, dismayed & there are so many more questions I have. I couldn't stop typing & I still have so much to ask & say.

Yes, registration would help to control the number of dogs kept, but this wouldn't have helped in this case. It was a one dog household & as far as I can see the dog had never shown any aggressive tendencies at all.

I still think that education is the way forward - people should be advised to NEVER leave ANY dog alone with a child!

Registration is only of value (as in Australia) if the authorities are going to vigorously police it. Over here, I think that would be unlikely.

No, registration wouldn't have done a thing to avoid this horrific incident.

"people should be advised to NEVER leave ANY dog alone with a child! "

How many times have I said these exact words.....

I know - you bang your head against a brick wall!

EDUCATION!!!!!!!!!

Yeah....education is the word.
I am only too sorry for those who didn't learn it before it became a harsh lesson.
My heart really aches for her family.

tracyp wrote:No, registration wouldn't have done a thing to avoid this horrific incident.

"people should be advised to NEVER leave ANY dog alone with a child! "

How many times have I said these exact words.....

We could say that until we are blue in the face but people will never learn

I read this and knew it would say "baby was being looked after by...."

RIP baby. Tragic thing to have happened.

That is so sad.