[nagdu] {Disarmed} Article: Blind man's plea to owners to curb menacing mutts after guide dog attack

[Criminal Justice Major Extraordinaire]

Australia: Blind man's plea to owners to 
Rebekah Cavanagh

Sunday Herald Sun 

June 22, 2013

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/blind-mans-plea-to-owners-to-curb-menacing-mutts-after-guide-dog-attack/story-fni0fit3-1226668099839

Brent Franklin and his guide dog Yorick are attacked by a white dog. Picture: Chris Scott Source: Sunday Herald Sun

THE owners of menacing mutts are risking the lives of blind people and their guide dogs by letting their pets roam free. 

Brent Franklin, who has been blind since birth, was almost knocked off his feet when an unrestrained Jack Russell lunged at his seeing eye dog, Yorick, while walking near his Pakenham home on Friday.

When Mr Franklin, 42, asked the owner where his dog's lead was, the man fired back with "it's a f------ park" and stormed off.

Mr Franklin said such incidents happen all the time.

"The problem is the incidences are increasing," he said.

Mr Franklin recalled terrifying and distressing encounters with wayward pooches, including once when Yorick was pinned to the ground.

Another time Mr Franklin was left in the middle of the road trying to shoo away a big dog that had escaped its elderly owner's clutches.

"When you can't see, you don't know what type of dog it is, if it's friendly or a threat, let alone if the owner is nearby and how they are going to react," he said.

He urged people to show basic respect by keeping their dogs on a lead and owning only breeds they could control.

He also discouraged pet owners from letting their animals approach specially trained seeing dogs.

"Our dogs have a lot to concentrate on," he said.

"They have to guide us around safely and these incidences are off-putting to them."

Last year, a guide dog died after being hit by a car while running away from a pack of pitbulls that had mauled it.

Seeing Eye Dogs Australia national client services manager Harry Vanderjagt said such encounters create problems for the guide dog's future. Some dogs have lost focus and have had to be sacked."These encounters are very distressing to both the client and the SED," he said.
It costs about $30,000 to breed, train and place each guide dog.



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