Pack of wild dogs mauls four people to death.

[Munchkin]

A brutal pack of wild feral dogs is being blamed for mauling four people to death in a Mexico City park.

This will happen in Cyprus if the government does not take control and ban the breeding and selling of dangerous breeds here anybody who thinks otherwise is burying there head in the sand, several very nasty attacks have already taken place in the north and the authorities do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to stop it.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... eaten.html

[belle]

If those dogs in those cages were responsible then I am the queen of sheba more like druggies did this.

[Mozgor]

I would tend to agree, they look anything but dangerous and the story appears a bit far fetched in my opinion!

[Rambling Rose]

Any dog can turn vicious if sufficiently provoked - and particularly when it becomes a pack animal - even the sweetest little lap dog. I think , however, this pic. must have been a case of an editor saying "get me a picture to illustrate this story" and someone picking up the first photo of dogs in a pound that came to hand!

I agree, though, about the danger of large aggressive dogs being imported/bred and interbreeding with less dangerous strays. However we have to accept this is not a "nanny State" and the Government is unlikely to take action unless there is a groundswell of public opinion. At the moment there seems to be complacency about otherwise normal, respectable, decent people buying and keeping - indeed flaunting - unsuitable breeds to give them prestige or power. I cant understand it, when there are so many attractive dogs begging for homes.

[Marions]

I agree with RR but those dogs are so not anything to do with the article. However, there was an incident here yesterday. Big screams, and one gigantic dog (forgotten the name, but huge oversized Alsation, went for a happily sleeping labrador at the shop, and was joined by two others. a lady and her children got in the way. fortunatley the dog was frightened off, but it could have been nasty.
If only the owners would keep them indoors. Tlel the muhtar? Waste of time and quite often one of the dogs in the stgreet belongs to her family. they just don't realise how one dog is lovely, two can be lov ely, but when they become a pack, everyone is in danger. How does one get that lesson through.

also yesterday walking my dog down the high street (her being on a lead) four street dogs charged up, teeth barred, including one Alsation which then turned on one of the dogs. I was scared. Picked up Dudu and did a bunk round a back street. But should I have to??????

a very emotive subject, isn't it?

[Rambling Rose]

VERY emotive, Marion, but if one really cares about animals it is important to be realistic. A dog is NOT just a cuddly pet - like a car it is a dangerous weapon in the wrong hands incorrectly handled and out of control. and people who own them should be responsible.

It is not kind to an animal to mollycoddle it allow it to do as it likes- it is cruel because it puts it at at risk from peole who dont like or are frightened of dogs, and endangers disciplined dogs as well. Sometimes on the increasingly rare occasions I take my dogs to public places with me I am congratulated on their good behaviour. This did not happen by accident - they are approriate dogs and trained (not perfectly unfortunately they have been known to let me down/or be too friendly , and! and i have had a couple of failures) knowing that was the only way I could enjoy their company. Sadly this happens less and less mainly because there are so few places I can get to where they are safe and it becomes a vicious circle as they get less training.

It is no use moaning about the Government. We need awareness, education and example and the Brit Community, having a reputation as dog lovers, ought to be setting an example.

[Ozangirl]

This reminds me of the very niaive letter in the Cyprus Today this week about how the street dogs are totally not dangerous when in packs and should not be culled ! I will say no more. Everyone has an opinion I suppose ! I can't say I like getting my bins ripped apart all the time and having to shut my gates to keep the dogs from messing in my garden so my children can actually play outside !

[Rambling Rose]

We are talking about dogs attacking people and causing serious injury, not the minor inconvenience of closing a gate or buying bin (other animals than dogs will rip plastic bags anyway and they smell in hot weather).

I dont think the current strays here are a serious danger - yet.. and culling is (excuse the pun) overkill and , even if has to be , 20 days too short to avoid accidental killing of pets.

Most of the attacks reported seem to have been "owned" dogs temporarily escaped from their homes. The problem is that as the number of large and aggressive dogs imported and/or bred increases, they will inevitably get loose or be abandoned and breed with the strays increasing he size and aggressiveness of the average stray.

It is just not realistic to expect the Government of this counry to devote time, effort and particualy money to appeasing both extremes of the stray debate. they will just, as already indicated, if badgered take extreme measures which only serve to put more pressure on those who take active steps to care for strays. Ideally the neutering programme should be stepped up and more controls on import and breeding of dogs, together with a sensible registration system, unlike the present one which only serves to penalise responsible dog owners while the irresponsible ignore it.

Meanwhile as I said in my earlier post, a more responsible atttitude to dog ownership by expats would at least be a step in the right direction.

[Ozangirl]

I am not even going to rise to that one !