Originally Posted by yipyap (Post 4349470)

I am so glad to hear little Crystal made it through okay! Now, she is taking care of you...dogs can sense when their owners are sick and upset. So, you are getting lots of "kisses" (licks) from her. My old miniature Schnauzer in the '70-'80's and my nowadays little Yorkie both stay right by me if I got ill, too.
If enough of the people you talked to, who had similar experiences, let the local town council and police know how unsafe it is getting at that beach, some action should be taken! The beach should be safe for public use...not for the drug dealers or dogs running off leashes on public walking areas. GET A Local "ORDINANCE" PASSED THAT IN CERTAIN AREAS, DOGS MUST BE ON A LEASH OR THEIR OWNER PAYS A FINE!
There is this type of ordinance in the law books in the nearby City of Staunton, Virginia (USA). IT was passed some years ago when too many dogs were running loose in other people's yards and especially in the City Park. Enough people signed a petition and went to the council meeting to demand somdthing be done about the loose dogs in the Park. Well, once the City Council passsd a law saying all dogs in the City and the Park MUST be walked on leashes OR else owners were given police tickets or letters from local court to appear to "pay a fine" at the City Hall, the number of loose dog attacks dropped dramatically!
A friend of mine reported a man who had 2 pit bulls come after her leashed dog and herself when she took her Sophie out for a walk. Luckly, the pit bulls owner came running up and yelled at his dogs and put them on their leashes. NOW, the City of Staunton has a strict Leash Law! My friend found out the man's name and learned his dogs had gone after others in the neighbourhood, too. So, she filed a compliant and had names of other people who had been chased by his dogs. So, he had to pay a fine and finally learned the City Law did apply to him, too!
It sounds like a matter for your British local magistrate or council to enforce safety and leash laws...or levy fines on the owners! Especially for the safety of the elderly seniors and very young children who walk at the beach!!

Originally Posted by docmartin (Post 4349590)

Thank you everyone for your kind wishes for us. Tonight we're on the Kitchen table, me at the laptop and my appendage curled up in between my chest and the keyboard sleeping soundly her little head on my arm. I'm feeling a bit better and the bruises are coming out well!

I'm increasingly becoming indifferent to the outside world these days anyway and the short drive to the local woods tomorrow as a threesome, will definitely help dispel the unpleasantness of yesterday. After all The Worlds broken, at least by the values of my age group and education. Sad as it is, it's increasingly 'de facto' in the UK.

Happier times are coming though. Crystal is going to attend a Children's Hospital Ward Xmas Party this year in London, as guest of honour, I've learnt today. Her little stories have won quite a following, as the kids listen to them on MP3 players with Dad narrating and Crystal barking and reverse snorting in the background! Lots of little cuddles coming her way I think and she loves toddlers too.:)

Originally Posted by docmartin (Post 4350082)

Thanks again for all the good wishes. The Dog warden came today and I gave him a statement, accompanied by the witnesses details and photo's of my bruises etc. The young woman has been warned TWICE before in the past six months for having her dogs off leash on a public walkway. The dogs are not vicious, just very boisterous and could easily have injured a small creature like little Crystal at just 7lbs. I was bought up with an Airedale and a full pedigree English Bull Terrier (Ralph), my dear old friend who used to tolerate a little boy tackling him at Football (soccer) and treating me like any old prize fighter would a new kid learning the ropes. Dad used to keep them both on a lead and they were OK with that and never attacked either people or dogs. Indeed 'Ralph' used to act as a bodyguard for our neighbours little Dachshund and was just an old softy with cats too. The warden thinks she has them for protection and coalesced with my feelings that their intrinsically good dogs, well looked after who just need more control. As far as their mistress is concerned ~ well she's just the product of a modern world bereft of social decency.