Owners need to be responsible

There was an article in your recent opinion page on dog attacks, and it was sad to hear Kerry Stevens, the newspaper sales rep for the Observer, was a victim.
Rye and Battle Observer lettersRye and Battle Observer letters
Rye and Battle Observer letters

My husband and I often have picnics on the beach near Toot Rock, Pett Level, and enjoy watching responsible dog owners playing with their dogs on the beach and walking them on a lead.

However, this was all spoiled when one day, an Alsatian dog lunged at me, knocking the tea out of my hand and I was scalded.

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My husband screamed to the owner to get the dog off of me. I am disabled and although I tried to relax and not look the dog in the eye, it pinned me to the ground, and having been bitten by an Alsatian a few years ago, I waited for its teeth to sink in.

The owner replied, ‘I can’t call him off, he’s too far away’.

He then completely ignored what was happening and walked nonchalantly on his way. Luckily for me, the dog let go of me and followed his owner. Since then, I have been unable to sit on the beach - the one respite my husband gets as he cares for me 24/7. I now have to sit in the car while my husband goes bird watching along the canal.

He noticed the farmer had put up a sign warning owners that dogs off of leads bothering livestock would be shot. Most owners do this but every time we visit, there is always an owner, who usually has an uncontrolled dog, who lets it off the lead.

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I doubt the canal can afford dog wardens to patrol the beach, canal and farmland, but why should these ignorant people spoil it for the farmer, the sheep and the public? Has anyone any solutions?

We are dog and cat lovers and do not blame the pets, it’s the owners who need to take responsibility so everyone can enjoy the beautiful countryside and sea.

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