http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bradford/7576074.stm

Poor boy. Poor dog. Poor family.

A totally avoidable tragedy.

Dog Ownership Test!

So heartbreaking, such a beautiful baby and that poor dog bored out if it's mind.
My heart goes out to the family.

What an absolutely avoidable situation this whole thing was. If not for people's stupidity a baby and a dog would still be alive


From the Guardian:

poor child. poor dog. no comment on those who felt it appropriate to leave a dog stuck in a back yard for months on end with no mental stimulation, company or outlet for its energies. i hardly think a muzzle was the answer to that particular situation.

So would all dogs be muzzles 24/7 then? How does he think that is an appropriate solution, given that this happened at home?

Dreadful for the family and for the dog, and totally avoidable. I despair at the way things are going, I really do.

To heck with muzzling the dogs, let's put chastity belts on the morons who keep breeding more morons!

Poor lad, and poor dog - what a total waste of lives!

Couldnt have put it better myself!! Stupid people

"Speaking after the inquest at Wakefield Coroner's Court, Archie-Lee's paternal grandfather Andrew Williamson echoed coroner David Hincliff's call for more stringent laws and said he wanted new legislation to demand that all dogs are kept muzzled."

I know these people are bereaved, but do they not plan to accept ANY responsibility themselves? For God's sake!!

I was quite touched by that.... that poor girl, 16 years old and left to care for 3 young children and a troubled dog. That experience will haunt her for the rest of her life.

"there was insufficient evidence to secure a criminal conviction."

I'm not surprised, but I **AM** disgusted!!

Surely 5months of leaving a poor dog in a back yard is cruelty and is sufficient to warrant a criminal conviction.....I know this family have paid the price big time with the death of that poor baby.....however I for one would feel happier if they had been banned from ever owning a dog again.

In most such cases there is rarely a prosecution - it's not considered to be in the public interest. They lost Archie-Lee. They paid. There's nothing a court can do after that.

Providing there was adequate food, water and shelter then - historically - no.

The AWA offers scope but I've yet to hear of anyone prosecuted for not walking their dog.

I was thinking the same. The "blame" appears to be at the dogs door, when the dog was clearly just another victim of idiot owners. Unfortunatley it's the victims who have paid the prices for this.

What is the answer?

I would consider it to be in the public interest.

Yes, they lost Archie Lee, but it was entirely their fault. It shouldn't necessarily have to be a long custodial sentence, nor even a large fine. It could be a suspended sentence (the likelihood of reoffending being so small as to be negligible), but there is definite public interest to acknowledging *why* this tragedy occurred.

By absolving this family (and others like them) of blame, it sends out the message that they did nothing wrong. Their child was killed because of their negligence. That is not acceptable. Or more to the point - it shouldn't be.

this

There was a case recently where a father was prosecuted (and found guilty) of causing his daughter`s death - she was riding a mini-motor bike. The Judge said he had caused the death `through sheer stupidity`. This surely was another case where the adults in chagre of the children (and no, 16 year-old is not an adult) should have been prosecuted for this totally avoidable tragedy? I don`t understand why the parents or grandparents weren`t held responsible. They all seem to be hiding behind the skirts of the poor child left to babysit.