Forum Topic

Should dogs be muzzled on public transport?

A friend asked me to put the above question on this forum, she would be interested to hear your views.She was travelling on London Underground recently when a couple boarded the train with a medium size mongrel dog on a lead. The dog immediately started jumping up at each and every passenger in the carriage. Meanwhile the dog owners sat giggling and chatting to one another and simply ignored the antics of their dog.Now as my friend says, some people are terrified of dogs (her grown up son and daughter included) so she started thinking that dog oners should put a muzzle on their dogs when travelling on crowded trains and busses.I personally like dogs but I am wary of certain breeds, of course one cannot judge the temperament of an animal and I guess certain situations could make the dog bark or bite.I would love to knnow what others think.

Jean F Fernandez ● 4786d5 Comments

I'm more inclined to suggest that these type of owners be muzzled and put on leads.If you're a responsible dog owner (as I am), then you'll always make sure your animals are under control.I know, from having a potentially dangerous breed that safety is paramount. I see all too often people walking their dogs along the public highway without being on a lead, which is both irresponsible and potentially dangerous.I for one welcome tougher laws on dog ownership in the UK, with harsher penalties.Carl

Carl Tamboli ● 4786d

I am with you on this Carl.A dog should ALWAYS be under control. It is bad manners for it to jump on other people and disrespectful as some people are scared and in a train carriage unable to get away. The dog should be trained to sit quietly near the owner.I find people approach me and ask to stroke my dog as she behaves in a nice calm way. The kind of behaviour described in the initial post will lead to complaints and ultimately a ban on dogs on public transport.

Kim Rugg ● 4786d

Also I'm with Carl.Quite often see a dark staffy of lead, walking along Horn Ln.  What would happen if it saw another dog on the opposite side of the road, then made a dash for it, then caused an accident?  I'm damn sure the owner wouldn't give a hoot and, would probably run off.I'm in favour of reinstating the dog licence.  No licence, no dog.  Compulsory insurance and chipping.

Nikki Howard ● 4784d

I have a fierce looking, but actually very gentle, English Bulldog.How would you muzzle a breed that doesn't, for all intents and purposes, have a nose, certainly not one you could get a muzzle over.As ever, it is the owners, not the dogs.Forcing dog owners to muzzle dogs just punishes the good owners.Bad owners simply won't comply.

James Richmond ● 4784d

Yes James, although I use a muzzle on my lurcher I believe it is the owners call. The vast majority of dogs do not need a muzzle and are safe off lead in the park. The minority of dogs that should be and aren't belong to people who don't care about rules and without enforcement of existing laws requiring owners to control their dog and pick up after them they make us all social pariahs.

Kim Rugg ● 4784d