# Pet dog tackles home invaders



## Tanith Wheeler

http://news.aol.co.uk/uk-news/story.../story/family-dog-sees-off-armed-gang/1265712



> A family pet dog has chased masked armed men from a house during a raid, police said.
> 
> Three men burst into the house on Pepperwood Drive in Winstanley, near Wigan, Greater Manchester, around 10.25pm on Friday while the family were in the living room watching television.
> 
> The commotion caused the family dog, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, to attack one of the offenders and bite his leg.
> 
> The would-be thief was carrying a handgun and struck the dog, at which point the daughter of the homeowners, 22, got up to protect the animal.
> 
> The gunman then struck her several times in the head with the weapon, causing a cut that needed gluing. The dog continued to bite the offender, causing the gang to flee from the house empty-handed.
> 
> But the dog gave chase, forcing the man to drop his gun in the garden, and pulled the offender to the ground, but he was able to struggle free and ran off down a footpath.
> 
> Det Chief Insp Howard Millington of Greater Manchester Police, said: "Unless you have been through this sort of ordeal, it is impossible to know how this family is feeling having had the sanctity of their home invaded by three cowards carrying guns. To attack a defenceless young woman who was protecting her dog with a pistol is a shameful act and these men need to be caught and spend years looking at the four walls of a jail cell.
> 
> "We are conducting house-to-house inquiries in the area to try and establish the movements of these men before and after the incident, and I want to assure both the family and members of the community who will rightly be appalled that my officers will be doing all they can to find the culprits, arrest them and bring them to justice. I also want to appeal to the public to help us."
> 
> The first raider was described as white, about 5ft 7in tall and wearing a dark blue hooded top, jeans and trainers. The second was also white, in his late teens to early 20s and wearing a grey hooded top and had dark hair. The third was white and wearing a dark hooded top, light trousers and trainers. All had balaclavas.


Very impressed with this, not many pet dogs would be that tenacious.


----------



## Bob Scott

Cool story but what are the laws concerning a dog biting an intruder in you home in the UK?


----------



## Tanith Wheeler

Um.... well that's complicated. If the dog is trained or encouraged to take on the burgler it's considered the same as you using a weapon. In this case it sounds like the dog acted on instinct, so they're probably safe from charges.
As long as the dog is on private property it is pretty much safe from our 'dangerous dog' laws, however if it pursues the intruder onto public property the owner could be prosecuted.

In the UK you are allowed to use 'reasonable force' to deter an intruder but what constitutes reasonable force depends on the police, the crown prosecution service or judge. People have been arrested, charged and convicted for even hitting a burgler - very much depends on the attitude of the investigators and how bad the injuries to the guy are.

Thank god I'm moving to the US, where if I understand correctly.... it's legal to shoot intruders as long as they are actually on the property.


----------



## Michael Swetz

Tanith Wheeler said:


> Thank god I'm moving to the US, where if I understand correctly.... it's legal to shoot intruders as long as they are actually on the property.


That varies widely by state and jurisdiction. In some states, you have a "duty to flee" even if in your own home before using deadly force. If you have the option of running away from an intruder and you shoot them, you're in deep. At the other end of the spectrum are states like Texas where you can use deadly force to prevent your property from being taken even in the absence of a threat to your well being.

Also, as a non-citizen, you won't be able to legally purchase a firearm here.

Disclaimer: I am not an attorney or law enforcement officer. The aforementioned post is not represented as legal advice nor a substitute for legal advice. Information provided is supplied "as is" with no guarantee of accuracy expressed or implied.


----------



## James Idi

> Thank god I'm moving to the US, where if I understand correctly.... it's legal to shoot intruders as long as they are actually on the property.


Not quite...

Edit: What he said ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


----------



## Maren Bell Jones

Michael Swetz said:


> Disclaimer: I am not an attorney or law enforcement officer. The aforementioned post is not represented as legal advice nor a substitute for legal advice. Information provided is supplied "as is" with no guarantee of accuracy expressed or implied.


I love your dislaimer. :grin: I need to have something like on my signature...


----------



## Bob Scott

Missouri has some of the best conceal and carry laws in the country and is also covered by the Castle law. (right to protect home and property with deadly force).
We've had a number of bad guys get shot in the past yr all because of our right to keep and bear arms....and carry it with you most places.


----------



## Tanith Wheeler

Well I'm not planning on buying a gun, my fiancee already has one - apparently I am going to get lessons at the firing range :-o

Going to live in South Carolina, so no idea what the laws are - not that I'm planning on shooting anyone.


----------



## Becky Shilling

I thought England was all on the "no Pit Bull bus"?


So the Staffy saves their butts then gets labeled a Pit Bull and they have to get rid of him? Hope that's not how this story ends.


----------



## Tanith Wheeler

Yup pits are banned. If you are found to have one it'll be siezed, sometimes you can get it back; neutered, tattooed, leashed & muzzled - if it passes a behaviour test.

In this case it sounds like a Staff though


----------



## Kristi Siggers

i dont think Staffs are considered pit bulls in the UK.


----------



## Bob Scott

SBTs have always been a very loved breed in the UK. Very popular as a pet and named the nanny dog for it attachment to kids.


----------



## Guest

I find it funny about the gun thing I am a green card holder and have got guns from 5 gun shops in NC and CA


----------



## Tanith Wheeler

Staff's are a British breed so were well regarded.

Unfortunately we are having the same problem with them that the US are having with Pits at the moment, so while there are more around than ever - they are less popular if you catch my drift.

It was a nice change to see a good Staff story in the media for once.


----------



## Debbie Skinner

Here are some pixs of my female, Staffie Bull "MayMay". Quite a bit smaller and has a different look than an Am. Staff. Very funny, entertaining "solid" little dogs.


----------



## Jenna Lea

As others said the SBT is not one of the dogs listed in the DDA, I'm sure for the same reason as when Germany was restricting breeds years ago the GSD didn't get restricted despite leading in dog bites and attacks - native breed. Lots of pit bull people in the UK have tried to get around the pit bull ban by calling dogs "Irish Staffordshire Bull Terriers". And more and more you see people importing Amstaffs into the UK hoping that their FCI papers will get them a pass, but it clearly states on the customs website that it is not safe to import an Amstaff and that if it is deemed to be of pit bull type it will be seized.


----------



## Thomas Barriano

I think the rules are, if he's pet dog that is protecting the home or owner.
Then he's a Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

If he's out in public and bites a passerby for no reason OR a Child. 
Then he's a pitbull :-(


----------



## Mike Lauer

you point at gun at someone, threaten them, strike them with the gun and there is any doubt as to whether or not you have the right to defend yourself with whatever force is necessary? 
a 22 year old girl attack by a group of armed men and there is a question????

thats why i wouldnt live in england.

trust me any jury in our country would find a 22 year old girl brutally attacked by a group of armed men to be in fear for her life and any and all force would be justified.

what i would like to read if this happened in america is the girl pulled out her glock which she is licensed to carry and shot all the intruders dead


----------



## Matt Grosch

awesome, my first dog (mine and not the family's) was a staffy, I went to college and left him with my dad who lived alone in the home where he grew up, he is still doing pretty well and has got to be 14

he showed much more ability in protection work than my american bulldog did, came right out the first time he was tested


----------



## Margaret Wheeler

Thomas Barriano said:


> I think the rules are, if he's pet dog that is protecting the home or owner.
> Then he's a Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
> 
> If he's out in public and bites a passerby for no reason OR a Child.
> Then he's a pitbull :-(


 
Works for me!


----------



## Colin Chin

Bob Scott said:


> Cool story but what are the laws concerning a dog biting an intruder in you home in the UK?


In my country, it is legit. Strangers have no right to intrude into people's properties without permission. If it is permissible then. it is not intruding ! We have save the Police a lot of work if our dogs bite and injure the intruders. At least, police does not need to give chase, just come and take the bad guys home.


----------

