Minggu, 10 Juni 2012

Attacks on guide dogs hit record high of eight a month, campaigners say

Attacks on guide dogs hit record high of eight a month, campaigners say

By Daily Mail Reporter

PUBLISHED: 19:30 EST, 10 June 2012 | UPDATED: 19:44 EST, 10 June 2012

Attacks on guide dogs by other dogs have reached a new high, a charity warned today.

The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, which breeds and trains dogs for the blind and partially sighted, said more than eight attacks are being reported each month.

Campaign manager David Cowdrey said: 'An attack on any dog is frightening, but for a guide dog owner it is much worse.

The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association said more than eight attacks are being reported each month

The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association said more than eight attacks are being reported each month

'As well as physical injuries, each dog attack leaves a deep psychological scar for both the owner and the guide dog.

'In the worst cases guide dogs have to be retired early; in others they are left unable to work for a significant amount of time.'

The charity is urging the Government to introduce compulsory microchipping for all dogs to protect the vulnerable and control aggressive animals.

Ministers announced plans in April to crack down on dangerous dogs but the package of measures did not include compulsory microchipping of all dogs and critics claimed it did not go far enough.

Jemma Brown, 23, whose guide dog Gus has been attacked six times, said: 'One of the worst attacks was outside a coffee shop on the high street in Southampton.

'This dog came charging towards us. It pinned Gus to the floor and the dog's owners couldn't get the dog to let go, so they started punching it in the head.

'But they caught Gus a few times too and he was left concussed. He couldn't work for three weeks.'

Mr Cowdrey called on the police to take more decisive action when a guide dog is attacked.

He said: 'Ultimately we want them to be given the power to treat an attack on a guide dog or any other assistance dog like an attack on a person.'


 

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it is this increase on guide dog attacks combined with the increasing number of places, taxis, and buses that now refuse guide dogs on religious grounds that has put me off getting a guide dog and I make use of my long cane so I don't get stranded somewhere cos of refusal. I have tried numerous times to engage conversation with my MP on this with various e-mails or letters over the past couple of years and not a single reply either. He seemed interested once but since his party (conservative) came into power he has not replied once. I don't think they care. And I agree Lees my local authority up north are doing nothing either to deal with this.

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I'm sure that the government (for reasons best known to itself) is deliberately not doing anything to tackle this issue. Last year I wrote to my MP (via email so it did not get lost in the post) about problems in my local area with dangerous dogs ie., pitbulls etc - I did not get a reply - which tells me that the subject is obviously 'not up for discussion' also the local council is not tripping over itself to deal with this problem.

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