One Environmental Hazard That Could Easily Be Dealt With

Civitas, 1 December 2009

Earlier this year, when a local housing association officer voiced concerns to Merseyside police about the dogs being bred at a terraced house in Wavertree, he was told that it wasn’t a police matter and no further action was taken. In the early hours of yesterday morning, the four year old grandson of the owner of the house was mauled to death by a dog while staying there. This brings to five the number of children who have since 2006 been savaged to death by dogs in England.

The dog belonged to the boy’s 21-year old uncle. He also lives at the house along with the boy’s grandmother, but he was not there when the attack occurred.

The dog’s owner would often take it for walks, much to the consternation of neighbours. One was quoted as  saying:

‘It was like a status symbol to show everyone how tough he was. The dog was seriously deranged and no one would touch it.’

Vets are currently ascertaining whether the dog belonged to a breed proscribed by the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act. According to the Guardian, however, the dog was an American bull mastiff which is not proscribed, making one wonder about the wisdom of the Act.

According to an American website devoted to this particular breed of dog:

‘Although not bred as fighting dogs, if they are with a passive owner, who does not know how to communicate aggression is not acceptable, they may become dog aggressive. Some people, mainly on the East Coast, still use this dog as a fighting dog.’

While the media and politicians endlessly wax on these days about such imponderables as how many people are liable to die as a result of global warming, children here are falling victim to breeds of vicious dog whose palpable presence is a daily fact of life.

Everyone who has recently ventured forth around any town or city centre in England will be only too aware of young men sporting such kinds of animal. It is time they were brought to heel.