A politician says he fears a child could be killed or maimed for life unless Northern Ireland councils are able take immediate action over out-of-control dogs left to roam residential areas.
Emmet Doyle was bombarded with scores of phone calls demanding action after a pet dog was mauled to death in Derry on September 24.
He says there needs to be an urgent overhaul of the rules and regulations covering the responsibilities of dog ownership in Northern Ireland because the processes councils have at their disposal to deal with dog attack cases are cumbersome and too slow to prevent other potential attacks happening.
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Mr Doyle, who represents Ballyarnett on Derry City and Strabane District Council, says in his own area an atmosphere of anger and fear is intensifying following two serious attacks on dogs which left them with horrific injuries, and a third attack on a family dog in which it was mauled to death.
Mr Doyle, said: “Most dog owners in this country are devoted to their pet’s welfare and are able to manage the dog’s behaviour and ensure they’re under control. But there are still dogs roaming residential areas and since February in Derry we’ve had at least three attacks, one of which proved fatal for the pet involved.
“I have been inundated with demands from the public that council does something fast to prevent this type of incident happening again because the welfare of dogs is the responsibility of council - but it is also the responsibility of dog owners.
“In February this year a Labrador was left with severe injuries after it was mauled by a pack of lurchers. The video footage of the attack was deeply distressing.
“In May, another dog, this time a family pet aged 12, was again left with even more serious injuries when it was mauled, again by a pack of lurchers, and again the video footage was horrendous. In both instances, while my concern was with the dogs, I also worried that any child in the area could also be at risk of any pack of dogs that could inflict this sort of damage.
“And in September a third dog, a small family pet, was fatally injured during a mauling by lurchers while the little dog’s 13-year-old owner tried to save it from being killed. I understand she had picked up her pet to try to save it from these lurchers but they managed to pull the dog from her arms and proceeded to literally pull the dog to pieces.
“This is reported to have happened in front of a child. I still feel sick with worry over what might have happened to that young girl or anyone else if she had tried to intervene further. I have put it in writing, I have put it on the record to council and I have had endless conversations about the danger of this type of lack of control of a small number of dogs in residential areas.
“The public were outraged when the first dog was injured and donated thousands of pounds towards his veterinary care. They were further outraged by the second attack which happened in the same area 10 weeks later, leaving an older dog with injuries few thought he could recover from. Thankfully he has made a good recovery and yet again the public raised thousands of pounds to help pay for his medical needs.
“Sadly in the third attack, there was no need to raise funds for vet care because the little dog was killed and the anger in people has escalated to a pitch I’ve rarely seen.
“People are demanding action to have the dogs who attacked brought under control and the people responsible for them, dealt with legally. I have been on the receiving end of many very emotional phone calls about this, people are upset, angry and fearful because they believe, as I do, that it is just sheer luck that a person has not been seriously injured or even killed by an out of control dog.
“In other areas, we have had reports of other dogs having been attacked and people injured. A dog that is in a hunting frenzy, rushing to attack what it considers prey, is not going to differentiate between the limbs of a dog or a person when the attack is underway. Many dogs like this will react to sounds, to high pitch noises and it creates even more excitement in them.
“I agree with the public who have been calling for swift action, I agree that something needs to be done now. But until there is an overhaul of rules and regulations surrounding these sorts of incidents, the pace of handling them is slow and simply not fit for purpose.
“Derry City and Strabane District Council is acting to investigate dog attacks but the legislation and processes around them mean they’re powerless to act faster and every council here faces the same dilemma.
“I have called for a robust response from council officials over dog attacks in my area and I have warned that unless change is made, we will be left in a situation where I fear members of the public could act independently of the authorities and take matters into their own hands - and that would be a terrible situation for everyone.
“We all know that there are dogs roaming in residential areas and most are probably harmless, but there are those who have been allowed to roam who have already caused serious injury and all of us fear that the potential for a toddler or a child to be seriously injured or killed is real and absolutely terrifying.
“I would once again urge anyone with a dog to ensure they are looked after properly, and that means that they are not allowed to roam, that their gardens are yards are secured properly to prevent them getting out by accident and to make sure if you see a dog straying, if you feel you are under threat from an unaccompanied dog, report it immediately.
“Injuries to people and other dogs are preventable and until we can push to have processes and legislation brought into line with needs, then we all have a role to play. I just hope we are listened to and common sense is applied and action is taken to action necessary change.”
A spokesperson for Derry City and Strabane District Council said: "We can confirm that Council is investigating recent dog attacks on another dog in the city in accordance with its dog control enforcement policy. All dog owners are reminded of their legal responsibility to keep their dogs under control at all times and familiarise themselves with the current Dog Control Orders including restrictions that are in place in some areas as failure to do so may result in enforcement action being taken. The Dog Control Orders can be found on the Council's website at https://www.derrystrabane.com/Subsites/Health-Community-Wellbeing/Dog-Control-Animal-Welfare/Dog-Control-Orders
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