News

Police are investigating an incident in Folkestone in which a 6-year-old girl was attacked by the family's pet dog.

The girl received severe injuries to her neck and her mother was also injured trying to protect her child during the incident at their home in Stuart Road, on Monday (9 June).

A police spokesman reported that they are currently being treated at St Thomas's hospital in London.

The girl remains in intensive care where she is said to be in a stable condition.

The dog, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, was put down on Friday (13 June) at the request of the mother.

Police have said that no Dangerous Dogs Act offences have been committed.

Dog owners can have their pets micro-chipped for a barking mad price at a special event in Dover.

As part of National Micro-Chipping Month, dog wardens and other members of Dover District Council’s Environmental Health team are taking the lead and supporting a responsible dog ownership event at Pencester Gardens on 21 June, from 10am to 4pm.

The day is being organized by Frandham Boarding Kennels, in partnership with DDC, and will feature a range of information on responsible dog ownership, pet care and accessories.

DDC experts will be on hand to give advice on subjects including noise awareness and dog barking, and the importance of clearing up after your dog, and will be giving out free bags to help pick up after your pet.

There will be an independent dog behaviour specialist at the event to give help and advice, and staff from the kennels will be available to micro-chip dogs for a special discounted rate of £11.

Shepway Council is now responsible for stray dogs in the district following new government legislation.

It used to be the joint responsibility between the council and Kent Police, but has now been handed over solely to the council.

The local authority have now taken over the responsibility for an out-of-hours drop-off point for stray dogs.

Anyone who finds a stray between 6.00pm and 8.00pm during the week and between 4.00pm and 8.00am at weekends and bank holidays should call 01303 853000.

If people cannot keep the animal overnight until it can be collected they will be asked to bring the dog to the council offices in Castle Hill Avenue, Folkestone, where council staff will transfer it to kennels. Previously, dogs had to be brought to the Folkestone police station.

Cllr Rory Love, Cabinet Member for the Environment, said the council takes animal welfare seriously.

"When we collect stray dogs we always do our best to trace their owners or find good homes for the dogs if their owners do not reclaim them."

If dogs are taken to kennels owners have to pay a statutory fee of £25 as well as any kennelling costs and associated fees.

"The key message to all dog owners is to make sure their pet wears an ID tag on its collar so that it can be quickly returned to its owner. This is a legal requirement for any dog out in a public place. In addition, some owners may choose to have their dog micro-chipped." said Cllr Love.

Police still have the sole responsibility for dangerous dogs and dog assault investigations.

Dear Editor,

Re: How do you harass a dolphin?

Could it be that Dolphin Dave has moved on to a place where the residents are allowed to swim with her?

The psychological damage done to the poor creature by the contact ban imposed by our local cetacean experts - who were unable even to get her sex right - must be enormous.

When first she came to these shores she was made welcome with crowds turning out to see her, boats to chase and swimmers to pat her and play games with - then suddenly it all stopped. What did I do wrong she must be thinking: Does my breath smell? Am I the wrong sort of dolphin? Or maybe its because they found out I am female?

Have Folkestone residents lost their sense of porpoise? They have stopped you swimming with the dolphin as it was becoming humanised. They'll stop you feeding the birds next in case they get too used to it too.

Sometimes I wonder whether you are allowed to have any fun in Folkestone .

Swingfield Scrivener

It is hoped that a blitz of hundreds of signs will get over the message that Shepway District Council is stamping down on dog walkers who fail to clear up their pooch's mess in public areas.

Three hundred signs, in a variety of sizes and styles, will be used in specially-targeted campaigns and others will be used throughout the district. Some incorporate a poster designed by six-year-old Lauren Coller of Lydd, who wrote to her local councillors and MP Michael Howard about her worries about dog mess in her town.

Cllr Rory Love, Cabinet Member for the Environment, said targeted crackdowns would start in May and would include:

In view of the conviction of two local men who 'harassed ' Dave the Dolphin, readers may like to read the points raised in Tim Dowling's 'Questions, Questions' section of the Guardian published today.

'We know it's possible, at least in a legal sense. This week two men, Michael Jukes and Daniel Buck, were sentenced to 120 hours of community service after becoming the first people in the UK to be convicted of "recklessly disturbing" a dolphin under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

In a night of heavy drinking last June, Jukes and Buck decided to go for a swim off Folkestone at 5am, when they were approached by a local dolphin known as Dave (even though it's female).

They touched the dolphin. They put their arms round it. At one point one of them grabbed Dave's fin and was pulled along for a bit, apparently while shouting: "People pay hundreds of pounds to do this in Florida and I'm doing it in Folkestone!" When people called police, it was because of the noise.

So is this really harassment? The question arises as to who has more business being in the sea off Folkestone at 5am, a dolphin or two drunks. If the former is more tourist-friendly, the latter is many hundreds of times more likely.

It isn't natural for Dave to be hanging around in shallow water and cavorting with humans, and one can only presume that if she wasn't enjoying herself she would leave, or drown the offending swimmers. This was essentially the argument of one expert witness at the trial, who said: "As long as they are enjoying company they stay, but the minute they get distressed they go." Unfortunately for Jukes and Buck, four other experts disagreed and said a DVD of the incident clearly showed the animal was under stress.

People had been swimming with the dolphin for more than a year, against the advice of marine biologists and the police, who believed Dave could potentially be dangerous. But this conviction makes it effectively illegal to swim with a dolphin under any circumstances, even if the dolphin is harassing you.

Dave hasn't been seen since October, when she lost part of her tail to a boat propeller. Perhaps human company has finally delighted her enough.'

Folkestone could be the home of the largest goldfish in Britain, writes the Mail on Sunday.

According to the newspaper, experts believe a 15.7 inch long and 5 inch high fish which weighs in at more than 2lb could be heading for a world record, currently held by a Dutchman who owned a 18.7inch whopper in 2003.

Goldie belongs to Ada Shaw, an 83-year-old former civil servant from Folkestone.

She bought him for 99p from a pet shop 15 years ago when he was just an inch long.

Staff at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park stepped in to look after newborn Tia after her mother rejected her.

Tia was dehydrated and "in need of some love" but is doing well and they hope to release her one day, a park spokesperson said.

If anybody has seen a cockatiel flying around Hawkinge recently there is a villager desperate to find their feathered friend.

The exotic bird is very tame and answers to the name of 'Billy' but unfortunately is not smart enough to phone home.

So, if you spot him please ring 07919 926474 for him and he can be re-united with his worried owner.

Dear Editor,

Re: Call for ban after dog bites toddler outside Tesco store 

I have always taught my child that she should not approach unattended dogs and she should always ask the owners permission before petting any dog, that to me is common sense.

Surely as a childminder this should be foremost in your mind!

I own two very friendly dogs which I often leave outside the shops, when I am not there I do not know how they will react if they feel threatened, and who can tell what in any given situation will make a dog feel threatened.

The best course of action therefore, is always to leave and not approach an unattended dog to wait for its mum/dad to return, surely that goes without saying.

Tracey Emery