By Dionne Meehan
A LOCAL councillor is urging dog owners to keep their pets under control following reports of a second incident on the greenway in Muff at the weekend.
Responding to claims that an individual was bitten by a dog on the greenway between Muff and Quigley’s Point on the Inishowen peninsula on Saturday, Cllr Terry Crossan, pictured right, said dogs, at all times, have to be kept under control.
“All I am advocating is that people, who bring dogs anywhere, comply with the regulations about having dogs in a public place.
“Especially on the greenway, where you are going to have a lot of people and prams, children out walking and joggers,” he said.
This incident comes just two months after an elite athlete was attacked by a dog on the same greenway.
The Derry man, aged in his 20s, was jogging when he was set upon by the dog.
The dog, understood to be a Rottweiler, was being walked on a lead but managed to break free from its owner.
The dog chased the man before biting him a number of times on the leg.
The man was rushed to Altnagelvin Hospital where he had to undergo immediate care.
At the time, Cllr Crossan urged dog owners to take responsibility to ensure their dogs do not cause harm or injury to other people or to other animals.
Over the past year, Cllr Crossan said there have nearly been 500 hospitalisations in the wake of dog attacks in Ireland and about 150 of those involved were children.
“It is a growing issue, it is a growing problem and people need to be more responsible,” he said.
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