Eynsham Parish Council is aware of an incident that took place recently in which an unattended dog attacked another dog and the owner who was walking it. It was a dangerous and upsetting incident for all involved.
Dog attacks such as this are not common. Most of our resident dog owners keep their pets under control when outside the home. Unfortunately, there will always be a few exceptions and this can place people and animals at risk. We want to ensure everyone knows how to respond if these situations ever occur.
We contacted our local Thames Valley Police representatives following the incident to see what advice they would share for those who find themselves in a dog attack incident. PC Leggott had the following suggestions:
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Ensure safety – move away from the dog to reduce the chance of any harm
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Identify the dog and owner – if it is safe to do so, collect the details of the owner (name and address) and the dog (breed/type of dog)
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Take photos of any injuries sustained
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Collect details from any potential witnesses
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Collect any CCTV evidence (e.g. ring doorbell camera on your property)
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Report the incident – contact the police and share all the information collected
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Seek medical attention – if you have any concerns, please get yourself and your dog checked
If you’re out walking, it’s always best to ask for the owner’s permission before stroking or interacting with their dog, as some dogs may be reactive. Dogs should be kept on a lead in open, public spaces, especially when there are other pedestrians around. Don’t forget that not everyone likes dogs – and some can be frightened of them – so owners are advised to be mindful and keep their dogs away from dog-less walkers.
PC Leggott also mentioned that she sees many reports of dogs that have escaped from their homes and she reminds dog owners to make sure their houses are secured.
West Oxfordshire District Council has some useful information and advice for dog owners in this leaflet: responsible-dog-ownership.pdf There is also official, legal information on the Government website here: Controlling your dog in public: Overview - GOV.UK