Panorama, 02/08/10, 8:30, BBC1

[Rainrescue]

Up and down the country - during July, August and Christmas - high volumes of dogs are getting put to sleep due to the volume being dumped at holiday times. Its cheaper to throw them on the streets and buy a new puppy when they next want one.

 

Yes - it is mostly bull breeds that are going - but there are lots and lots of dogs going to be put to sleep over the last and next few months.

 

When will there be some sort of law brought in to stop this needless destruction.

[carly83]

Up and down the country - during July, August and Christmas - high volumes of dogs are getting put to sleep due to the volume being dumped at holiday times. Its cheaper to throw them on the streets and buy a new puppy when they next want one.

 

Yes - it is mostly bull breeds that are going - but there are lots and lots of dogs going to be put to sleep over the last and next few months.

 

When will there be some sort of law brought in to stop this needless destruction.

 

so wish i had a bigger house and more money i'd take them all in given the chance.

 

already have 2 dogs in a small 2 bed house so ive no chance

[hard2miss]

When will there be some sort of law brought in to stop this needless destruction.

Totally agree.

I had a pit-bull cross mastiff, it was the softest dog you could ever have asked for, never attacked another dog and my kids and everyones else's were brought up along side it, I just think its sad that just because theres irresponsible owners they talk of banning full breads of dogs.

If they want to ban bull breads because of the retards that bring them up then its like saying lock up prostitutes to stop rape.

 

The law needs looking at and by rationale people and not just because the news like to sensationalize things and drop all the blame on the dogs. They pump millions into think groups for the most stupidest things so why don't they pump in a few quid to look at overhauling the laws concerning pets ?

[carly83]

Totally agree.

I had a pit-bull cross mastiff, it was the softest dog you could ever have asked for, never attacked another dog and my kids and everyones else's were brought up along side it, I just think its sad that just because theres irresponsible owners they talk of banning full breads of dogs.

If they want to ban bull breads because of the retards that bring them up then its like saying lock up prostitutes to stop rape.

 

The law needs looking at and by rationale people and not just because the news like to sensationalize things and drop all the blame on the dogs. They pump millions into think groups for the most stupidest things so why don't they pump in a few quid to look at overhauling the laws concerning pets ?

 

exactly just look at the millions or was it billions (not to sure!) anyway spent on telling us to eat 5 fruit/veg portoins a day and not to eat to much fat sugar and salt. now given that other than the brain dead we all know we should eat a balanced diet. and what about all the money spent advertising the fact that a smoking ban for pubs was coming in surely we're not so stupid that we need to be told 10 different ways over several months.

 

then there's issues over whether or not people should be able to get medication on the nhs because the budget is so tight its so wrong and there seems to be no importance to things that matter.

 

scrap the goverment advertising 5 a day and i bet that alone would more than cover all costs in shaking up pet laws and introducing a few pet facts over myths.

[Starlet83]

for those who watch it last night what were your opinions of brandy the staffy who was deemed to agresive and to be PTS

 

personaly did not think he seemed agresive, when he brought him over to another dog it seemed he was curious to meet the other dog but not trying to harm the other dog. and surely with a little bit of trainning brandy would of learnt not to pull towards other dogs.

 

i got the impression they use PTS a little to freely

 

I think the problem was that when they have a friendly dog in kennels for 8/9 months that shows no hostility to other dogs and could be the ideal family pet then they have to draw a line. As unfair as it seems if the all rounder cant get a home what chance did that little guy have?

 

I have seen far more aggressive dogs on the streets but when it comes to rehoming I guess they know he would be over looked time and time again.

[carly83]

I think the problem was that when they have a friendly dog in kennels for 8/9 months that shows no hostility to other dogs and could be the ideal family pet then they have to draw a line. As unfair as it seems if the all rounder cant get a home what chance did that little guy have?

 

I have seen far more aggressive dogs on the streets but when it comes to rehoming I guess they know he would be over looked time and time again.

 

but there basing there assement on 10 seconds of interation with another dog, i personaly think that just becasue a dog doesn't respond to another dog doesn't mean to say it has a fab temperment and is an ideal pet. a few people that watched it has said how that brandy is the type of dog (by looks smiles and chilled behavour shown) that they would go for when choosing a dog.

 

most of the dogs in rescue centres are not 'all rounders' they have issues and plently of them and this is a factor that most people are aware of when adopting a rescue dog, it goes with-out saying that many like my self know full well a bit of love security and trainning can turn this dogs into the perfect pet, and places like B.A.R.C and rains rescue would never have a dog PTS just because it showed a slight interest in approaching another dog (as shown on panorama) as thats a natural curiosity aspect of a dog, after all its tail was wagging and it was not acting agresivly.

[Rainrescue]

I have been to Battersea and seen the assessments that they do. These people do know what they are doing. They are experts in the field. I also know that the dog was tested more than was shown in the actual footage - that dog was wagging its tail as it had some excitement coming - the excitement of a scrap.

 

The comment above is correct - if they can't rehome bull breeds or staffy crosses who have no issues - what hope does a dog agressive one have.

 

When people come and approach us to adopt a dog - they don't want problems. They dont say - oh its ok if it goes for other dogs. Because, they want their new dog to get on with other dogs. The heartbreak of seeing these dogs stay in kennels - neglected of human company and companionship - which is what they live for - is heartbreaking. To see them get walked past every day for weeks and months at a time - is heartbreaking for the staff.

 

We at Rain would never rehome a dog that was lethal to other dogs and we don't have the training or the knowledge to be able to assess dogs. It is very difficult for everyone to be able to assess but at least these with the big centres and trained staff have a chance of telling. When you see the state of a dog ripped apart by another dog - you really hope that the owner will be able to keep that original dog under control in the future.

 

The answer has to lie in

 

a) Reductions on breeding of all dogs

 

b) Heavy reductions on breeding all bull breed or 'status' type dogs

 

c) Improvements to owner training courses and accreditation schemes for training

 

d) Mandatory Microchipping at birth

 

e) Breeder ultimately responsible for life for the dog

[rich5315]

ive said for a while, if you look at the stereotype of a big burly man, covered in tattoos, skin head and a poodle at the end of a lead it just doesnt seem right? ive seen so many men that look like this, only problem is its a bull terrier or rockweiller or doberman, they always wear them big leather collars with bib studs in and the dogs are called rocky or tyson, seems to fit the bill these days, these people arent dog lovers they just want to look macho when they walk down the road, oh and theres always the hassle of having kids with a dog like that, no wonder battersea dogs home out of 2000 fit dogs put down 69% were fit and healthy but unable to rehome due to breed and behavour problems, its the type of people who want these dogs for the wrong reason that need to be targeted

[Worjackie]

Surely a responsible dog owner would not choose an aggressive breed like a staffy in the first place when there are so many friendlier, gentler breeds of dogs in need of a loving home?

 

The simple solution would be to make breeding staffies a criminal offence. People that already own one would be able to keep theirs but if they had pups would be forced to have them PTS . Within 10 years our country would be staffy-free and the problem would be solved.

 

As if to prove my point, in the news today there's yet another Staffy attack, this time on a policewoman.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1303812/Policewoman-seriously-injured-savaged-dog-disturbance.html

 

How many more people will be savaged by Staffies before this breed is banned?