BY CIARAN WOODS
STRABANE's dog warden has urged dog owners to keep their pets under proper control when out in public, and warned that incidents of attacks are not exclusive to any size or breed of dog.
Dog attacks were once again front page news last week as a young boy in Offaly was seriously hurt after an attack by two rottweilers on his housing estate.
The attack once again led to calls for the dogs to be banned as dangerous, but local dog warden Mark Hegarty is quick to point out that all sorts of dogs can be involved in attacks. Rottweilers often attract headlines, with many people under the misconception that they are in fact illegal, but the warden revealed that a number of the dogs are under pergectly legal ownership in the Strabane area.
"We currently have 33 rottweilers on the books, licensed. There's approximately 2100 dogs licenced in the district. Rottweilers aren't on the dangerous dogs list, therefore they're perfectly legal. The four breeds of dogs on the list are the Pit Bull Terrier, the Japanese tosa, the Dogo Argentino, and the Fila Brasileiro. Only one of those seem to affect us in this country, the Pit Bulls, as they're the only ones that seem to be coming in. The list is being reviewed, but I can't see them appearing on it," Mark said.
"We can get any type of a dog that has attacked, from Jack Russells to Alsatians. Today for example I was dealing with a Pomeranian cross who bit someone. It can be any dog, no matter how big or how small," he said.
The warden admits his frustration that some dog owners seem oblivious to the laws governing the control of their canine friends, and urges those out walking their dogs to follow the proper procedures, regardless how well behaved they believe their animal to be.
"Anyone with a dog, of whatever breed or whatever size, needs to make sure it is kept under proper control when it's out in a public place by a lead or a leash.
"You're out driving about, and you see someone out walking with a dog 100 yards in front of them. That dog isn't under control. Everyone will say 'my dog is well trained,' but that doesn't matter, the law clearly states that the dog must be kept under control by use of a lead, leash, chain or other restraining device."
Although the summer is a traditionally quieter period for incidents of stray dogs, the warden urges dog owners to ensure that their animals are kept properly under control with a higher volume of people, especially children, out and about.
"Summer time is quieter as regards the number of stray dogs, mainly because people are away or are off work on holidays so they've got more time to look after their animals.
However, there's also the fact that there's a lot more kids about because they're off school for holidays, and that makes it all the more important to keep dogs under control," he concluded.
