Number of Wiltshire dog-on-dog attacks 'jumps dramatically'

Because of lockdown, many dogs were not allowed to be near other dogs and are not used to it, a dog warden says

The number of dog-on-dog attacks in Wiltshire has "jumped dramatically", according to dog wardens.

There have been 324 attacks reported so far this year in the county, compared to 255 in the whole of 2019.

Dog warden team leader, Clair Francis, said four dogs had been killed in attacks in the past two months, which was "really unusual".

She advised people to keep their pets on leads and make sure they have the right collar, harness and leader.

"Certain dogs were bred to hunt and so when they see a small fluffy dog they go running after it.

"There are more dogs around because during Covid they became very popular and their value went up," Ms Francis said.

Google searches for "puppies for sale" rose rapidly during lockdown

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), there are currently two dog wardens in the county but a third is being recruited. Their main role is to seize stray dogs.

Ms Francis said some people who had not had dogs before were not aware of how to control them.

"Because of lockdown many dogs were not allowed near other dogs, so they're not used to it," she said.

"Your own might be friendly but other dogs might not be and if you spot signs of aggression take your dog to a professional trainer," Ms Francis added.

Russell Becque said vets asked to euthanize badly-behaved dogs often referred the owners to animal behaviourists

Portsmouth dog trainer Russell Becque said Zuri, a Belgian malinois he had adopted, was at risk of being put down when the previous owners gave her up because she was acting so aggressively.

"She had been biting her previous owners," he said.

"They couldn't take her out because she was attacking other dogs. She bit me three times, badly, drawing blood."

But after 18 months of training he said it was like Zuri had become a different dog and she was taking part in obedience competitions.

Animal behaviourists have reported a surge in requests for help with dog aggression after the pets' lives have been turned upside down, following lockdown.

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