Dog owners urged to be responsible following dog attacks in the Cotswolds

Dog owners are being urged to be responsible and keep their dogs under control following a number of dogs and owners being hurt in dog attacks in the Cotswolds.

In the past month officers in the Cotswolds have dealt with a number of dangerous incidents. The majority of these have happened with dogs which have been off lead and not under the control of their owner, with dogs which were on a lead being attacked.

On 6 June a 17-year-old girl was bitten by a dog that was off the lead while she was trying to protect her own dog in Westonbirt. She attended hospital where her wounds were cleaned.

At around 7.30am on 14 June a man was walking his small terrier dog in Bourton-on-the-Water on the lead when a couple in their late 60s to early 70s approached with two Newfoundland dogs both off the lead. 

One of the Newfoundland's attacked the man's terrier, biting it so severely it required emergency surgery immediately. The terrier's owner was bitten when trying to protect his pet.

On 19 June while walking along the Cotswold Way an Alsatian type dog, which was off the lead, attacked another dog walking and left it with bite marks and a torn ear.

PCSO John Allen said: "It is so important to keep your dog under control at all times when out walking. Dog attacks can easily be fatal and can cause serious injuries to owners too.

"No matter how much you trust your dog, we would advise that you keep it on a lead when around other dogs to prevent any more of these dangerous incidents. Let all dogs lead a nice life by keeping your dog on lead."

Off lead etiquette advice from the Blue Cross:

If you're comfortable with your pet being off lead and they have good recall training in place, these top tips will help make sure both your dog and other dogs have the best time off the lead.

•    Keep your pooch away from other dogs that are on-lead. Many owners will keep their dog on lead for various reasons such as training, reactive behaviour towards other dogs or people, nervousness or health reasons (including if their dog is post-surgery and is on strict gentle walks).
•    Be sure to keep a close eye on your dog at all times – they may wander into an area that you're not familiar with when they're distracted by the other dogs
•    It’s important to monitor dogs playing in a group environment because things can quickly escalate, especially when a new dog is introduced to the group

For more advice visit https://www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-advice/walking-your-dog-tips-for-walking-on-lead-and-off-lead