It follows a fatal dog attack on a family pet being walked by its 13-year-old owner
A politician says he fears a child could be killed or maimed for life unless Northern Ireland councils are able take immediate action over out-of-control dogs left to roam residential areas.
Mr Doyle, said: “Most dog owners in this country are devoted to their pet’s welfare and are able to manage the dog’s behaviour and ensure they’re under control. But there are still dogs roaming residential areas and since February in Derry we’ve had at least three attacks, one of which proved fatal for the pet involved.
“In May, another dog, this time a family pet aged 12, was again left with even more serious injuries when it was mauled, again by a pack of lurchers, and again the video footage was horrendous. In both instances, while my concern was with the dogs, I also worried that any child in the area could also be at risk of any pack of dogs that could inflict this sort of damage.
“The public were outraged when the first dog was injured and donated thousands of pounds towards his veterinary care. They were further outraged by the second attack which happened in the same area 10 weeks later, leaving an older dog with injuries few thought he could recover from. Thankfully he has made a good recovery and yet again the public raised thousands of pounds to help pay for his medical needs.
“In other areas, we have had reports of other dogs having been attacked and people injured. A dog that is in a hunting frenzy, rushing to attack what it considers prey, is not going to differentiate between the limbs of a dog or a person when the attack is underway. Many dogs like this will react to sounds, to high pitch noises and it creates even more excitement in them.
“I have called for a robust response from council officials over dog attacks in my area and I have warned that unless change is made, we will be left in a situation where I fear members of the public could act independently of the authorities and take matters into their own hands - and that would be a terrible situation for everyone.
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