Police mauled by pit-bull terrier.

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail....id-suspects-home.html

I know I am playing devil's advocate here, but having a front door batted in by a group of policemen shouting, is it any wonder that the dog inside attacked them, it was only protecting it's territory?

I feel sorry for the policemen who were so badly injured, but in light of the fact that this dog was known to be dangerous, should not these raiding officers have been first made aware of the dog by their superiors?

[Baldric]

No wonder at all
&
Yes

[cathfromsaron]

yes, any dog would bite if you entered like that!

[youngmafbog]

You are right, and indeed apparently Plod were well aware of it as a complaint had been made about the thing in the past but apparently no one was in when Plod went round so they didnt bother any more (like they do unless it is a motorist they are persecuting).

I find it quite alarming that the Old Bill were not equiped to deal with such an incident, knowing it was there or not. Why could it not have been tazzered or similar. Shouldnt plod carry drug guns for such instances as you point out smashing down a front door, the dog did exactly what many pother dogs would do.

[Frank97]

I thought they normally went in wearing full riot gear if a dangerous dog was suspected of being on the premises, was this not the case here then?

[cathfromsaron]

my aunt as a german shepherd and when i am visiting she has to bring the dog to the door and introduce you to her EVERY time before letting you in, or inside she will bite out of surprise! x

[wolf63]

I love dogs and the two that I have had were big male dogs who were very protective. I used to worry that, if someone broke into the house, they would bite/attack/kill an intruder - it's what dogs do!

I am not certain what type of dog it was but if they are describing it as a 'pitbull' type dog it has perhaps been used in fights. A solid muscle fighting machine - the poor police men didn't stand a chance.

[Gromit]

I hope the charges relating to the dog biting are dropped. Most dogs will protect its territory and I doubt there was much the owner could do to prevent it.

It sounds like the dog was used for protection as the owner sounds very dodgy. Charge him with all the other stuff, but the dog charges sound trumped up IMO.

[pkjk]

Absolutely ---the raid should have been forewarned. There are special sleeves the dog handlers use when training police dogs. they could have worn those.

[elgreco]

I thought these types of dogs were now banned. Of course the man should be prosecuted

[rov1100]

Thats why the dog law is so useless. Even though they have had many complaints from neigbours about the dog it had not bit anyone. Talk about shutting the door after the horse has bolted!

[jno]

I think it's the owner's duty to prevent attacks regardless, Gromit. If they can't they shouldn't have the dog in the first place.

"The other charges are possession of a banned dog, namely a pit bull, and allowing the dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place, injuring five persons"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/...gland-london-17486343

[craft1948]

It's a pity they couldn't arrest the dog and shoot the owner...........

[LoftyLottie]

jno. I am sure my dog would be harrassed enough to bite intruders if our front door was batted in by a group of aggressive people shouting. Well I hope she would to be honest!! (Not as if a cross JR could do that much damage ;o) )

I agree with you aog.

Obviously the owner should be prosecuted for keeping a pit bull or any classified dangerous dog.

[LoftyLottie]

And how could the chap control the dog if it was an unexpected raid by the police with the door being batted in. I control my dog if people knock at the door.

[Zeuhl]

<<allowing the dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place>>

I thought the police were attacked when THEY broke IN to his home!

[flip_flop]

If it was a pitbull, and for the sake of the argument let's assume it was, then I'm glad it has been killed, and the owner should be prosecuted.

These animals are not pets.

They are kept, in most cases, either to fight, or to boost the ego of the skinny weedy chav owner.

[LoftyLottie]

I don't think that anybody has any problems that the pitbull has been destroyed, there was nothing else that could be done, but the poor dog acted instinctively. It's the owner that should be destroyed!!

[flip_flop]

Oh yes, I wholeheartedly agree Lottie.

I have a 7 year old Lab that would would probably kill an intruder.....by licking them to death.

[andy-hughes]

I do agree AOG.

If the police knew a dog was on the premises, they shoould have been properly equiped in riot gear prior to a forced entry.

In a lot of the documentary series about police, the carry a fire extinguisher to fend off any dog in the premises, and arfe usually kitted up with full protective gear. i think some serious questions need to be asked why this raid took place when the squad were not properly prepared.

I don;t think the man can be expected to control his dog as it rushes outside into a 'public place' when he is busy having his hands cuffed and listening to his rights.

[jno]

"I thought the police were attacked when THEY broke IN to his home!"

If that's the case - and he didn't simply set the dog on them - then I'd expect the prosecution to fail.