New puppy owners advised to train pets over dog attack fears

The number of puppy sales and dog rescues taking place has soared over the past few months. However, there are warnings that many dog owners are not training their animals properly, leading to more incidents of dogs attacking other dogs - in some cases killing them.

The insurance company Direct Line says that since 2019 more than 7,000 claims have been made for dogs suffering from bites from other dogs, an equivalent of 11 such attacks every day.

Carol Roger's dog, Magic, was attacked and killed after being set upon by two dogs.  The dog owner says that the horror of that day has left her with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

The People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) says that not enough owners are aware of the early signs that their dog is getting distressed or feeling uncomfortable. The PDSA says that owners should do their research before they bring a new dog home. 

Professional dog walkers Andrew and Paula Chalmers, from Sussex had to rescue their own puppy from a near miss with 5 aggressive dogs, say it is important that owners educate themselves.

If a person is attacked by a dog then the owner can be prosecuted under the dangerous dogs act. However, It's not against the law for one dog to attack another.

According to the Kent-based dog law specialist Trevor Cooper, the detail can be quite specific.

After the death of her dog ‘Magic’, Carol Rogers managed to take the owners of the dogs who had attacked her pet to court. But 3 years on, she says they have yet to pay the £600 compensation she was awarded. She found support from a social media group called 'Protect Our Pets'. The organisation, along with other pet owners who have been affected, are campaigning for a change in the law.