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'Weapon dogs' seized by Met in raids
Ben Bailey09.07.09
Twenty dangerous dogs were seized by police today in one of the largest operations of its kind.
Specialist officers gave suspected gang members and owners of illegal dogs early morning wake-up calls during raids on 12 addresses in south London.
The aim of Operation Navara was to target "weapon dogs", which were believed to be used for fighting or to intimidate people.
A total of 20 pit-bull terrier-type dogs, including a litter of puppies, were taken out of properties across Lambeth.
In some cases police had to smash down front doors to get into the homes as the animals barked loudly inside.
Wearing protective gear, padded sleeves and carrying fire extinguishers to deal with any aggression, specialist handlers dragged snarling dogs into cages in the back of cars using special poles that hooked around the animals' necks.
The animals will be examined by the Met Police's Status Dog Unit before a court hearing to decide their fate.
Two adult pit bulls were seized along with six four-week-old puppies from a three-storey house in Renfrew Road, Kennington.
While the majority of raids were based on intelligence about dangerous dogs being used by gang members, in this case Lambeth Police said that they were responding to complaints from neighbours about the animals.
The Met's six officer-strong Status Dog Unit, which was set up in March, was joined by other highly trained officers on the operation.
There was tension in the air as the police banged on the door and shouted to be let in.
According to the officers leading the raids, the female owner had been warned previously and had threatened the police.
But there was no sign of the woman today and police broke down the front door to seize the family of pit bulls.
Police warned of their potential to be aggressive towards other animals and humans as they grow, particularly if not cared for properly.
Often wearing studded collars and buckles, pit bull terriers, which are banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act, can be trained to attack.
In another raid, a two-year-old female red and white pit bull terrier and a five-month-old brindle were removed from a house in Shakespeare Road.
Sergeant Ian McPartland, who heads up the Status Dog Unit, said: "Our concerns are over the way they will be used by the gang member who is associated with the address."
He said a dog could be used in almost any crime as a weapon of intimidation or to send out a message about who is the toughest.
A dog lover himself, Sergeant McPartland said 90% of the problem was at the "owners end of the leash".
"If you have got a pit bull at the end of the leash the potential for it going seriously wrong does rise," he said.
Asked if he found the seizures depressing, given that around half of the dogs removed will be put down, he replied it was "terrible" adding: "I spent 25 years as a dog handler and now I'm out there taking dogs off people who really don't know how to treat them. They don't understand they are man's best friend. Their behaviour with dogs is absolutely atrocious. We won't stand for it".
Reader views (13)
I glad the Police raids took place last week to highlight to the public the danger and agression of 'weapon dogs'. Having recently been on the receiving end of a pitball's intimidation, it is frightening and they do need to be reported to the authorities so that families can enjoy their summer.
- H Grant, London
To P Mc Crossan of Birmingham, Walking through estates may have given you an opinion but it is the idealised vision of someone who sees people behaving in an ideal way, abiding by rules. Unfortunately life isn't that simple and if you had any experience of these matters on a day to day basis, as I did for 16 years working in the field of social housing, you would realise the old tenancy agreement clause option is not the solution. Many tenants are not literate, most do not read their tenancy agreements in the first place and I would guess that less than one per cent keep track of their tenancy agreement once they've got the keys to a property. The vast majority of social housing tenants have no respect for their landlords and that includes the law abiding ones. We are talking about thugs and criminals here and the solution is to specifically target them for prosecution and remove their dogs from the lives of neglect and misery they are subjected to, not waste time and energy on paperwork that is simply going to be ignored.
- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx
Unfortunately this is only the tip of the iceberg. As a dog owner I truly feel sorry for the poor dogs BUT something has to be done the Rescue Centres are full to overflowing with Staffs and Pit Bull type breeds as they get disgarded for a bigger younger stronger model. I do not know what we can do I feel scared sometimes when I take my dog out and these yobs with there dogs mostly off the lead come along you never know what will happen. Again I think the problem falls on the parents for allowing them to have the dog and treat it as a weapon but sadly they have the same mentality and they dont see a problem. It makes me very sad because there are no bads dogs just VERY bad owners.
- Linda Cliff, London
I think the london RSPCA should be ashamed of themselves... instead of worring about putting to sleep those gorgeous puppies they should be putting to sleep the horrible men who were turning those dogs into weapons, you could make a labrador horrible if you wanted to its not the poor dogs its the owners, those puppies have a chance to go to lovely homes who will looks after them and they will turn out to be lovely dogs. What the rspca really should be worrying about are the many phone calls that are made to them about accually cases where dogs are being starved and left to die...just like the many phones call i had made to them about a women who had 6 dogs and 3puppies who she wasnt feeding and locked them in her tiny kitchen to walk and sleep in their own mess. it wasnt until one dog died of heat strock and was thrown in a black bag and left outside her front house for the garbage men to pick up did the rspca accually do something. if they had spent just as much time trying to help those dogs as they do trying to put perfectly lovely heathy dogs to sleep... maybe that dog would still be alive. i would adopted any of those puppies and would love to prove to everyone how fantastic pitt bulls and staffs are when looked after and well socialised with humans and other dogs.
- Sarah, London
To Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx Clearly I have said all dogs should be banned. I know these morons ignore all laws but if as I suggested the Landlords have a clause about dogs these morons parents will not want to lose their jomes so better chance of compliance by parents. I applaud the police actions. I only hope the Politically correct Brigage and Human Rights are not used to allow these dogs back. I have walked through many estates in London and seen for myself the power that comes with these dogs,They need to be banned and the landlord has the power to do this on their properties and estates. So its time for action from the landlords supported by the police and more importantly the communities where these dogs are based.
- P Mc Crossan, birmingham
I think P Mc Crossan and Clif are missing the main point here: why would these thugs bother themselves with adhering to extra rules in tenancy agreements, getting dog licences (if such a thing were ever enforceable, certainly wasn't in the past) and microchips WHEN THEY ARE ALREADY BREAKING THE LAW BY KEEPING DOGS WHICH ARE BANNED UNDER U.K. LAW?
I don't think inner city flats are the right environment for ANY dog.
- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx
true or false? whats the saying,the dog looks like the owner and in this age acts the same
- Basil, bussiere poitevine 87320 france
About time we had a £100 dog licence ( reduced for OAP's and free for Blind ect ) and compulsary micro-chipping of dogs ( maybe the owners as well ) ..but id also like to see a £100 Cycle licence and madatory Cycle Proficiency Cource as well.
- Clif, London
Lambeth council and other councils should ban these and other dogs from their properties. Its a simple matter of adding a clause in the tenancy agreements. There is no place for viccious dogs in flats. The owners use them as a fear tactic. The dogs are used to intimidate, and to prevent easy access when police come calling. The owners do not care about the dogs only about how they look with the dogs. These dogs are weapons. The councils especially Lambeth care so little about their tenants. They could so much to resolve gangs in our communities. They could use gang membership as a reason to give the tenants usually parents Notice To Quit. Maybe that would encourage these parents who care so little about their offspring to be more responsible towards the activities of their children.
- P Mc Crossan, birmingham
The inner city is not the place for dogs - they need the space and freedom of the countryside.
- Casper, Dundee
Glad to see some action being taken about these dogs. I hope that the seizures are followed up by prosecution of the owners - and that this operation isn't a one-off but the first of many.
- Austen, London
Can we have the owners 'put down' whilst we're at it?
- Ged, Blackheath, London
Its about time. they've been flaunting these dogs in public for so long without anything being done about it......they should also be put infront of the courts and banned from owning dogs.
- Jonny, London
