SOME schoolchildren in a village in the Scottish Borders are refusing to go out to play over fears of being bitten by three tiny dogs.
There have been several instances of the Schnauzer dogs attacking locals in Eyemouth, including schoolchildren, since the early summer.
During one recent incident a child was chased by the trio, with a message posted on social media by the boy’s mother describing her son’s reaction: “‘I don’t want to leave the house ever again, I’m too scared, she can’t keep them under control.”
Now East Berwickshire councillor James Anderson is collaborating with local police, fellow elected members and Scottish Borders Council’s dog warden to find an urgent solution, amid concern that a young child could suffer a serious bite wound.
The owner of the dogs has been advised to muzzle the animals and put them on leads, but has so far declined to do so.
Councillor Anderson believes that because the dogs are small the seriousness of the situation may have been under-estimated.
He said: “They have bitten people but because they are smaller dogs they haven’t broken the skin on most.
“The dog warden has been working with the individual to advise muzzling the dogs and to keep them on leads when they are out but unfortunately the owner, of her own free will, has decided to walk around the town with the dogs unleashed and this past weekend they have attacked two different people in two different incidents and there are videos online of the dog attacks.
“They are attacking schoolchildren and there’s videos of the dogs freely walking up Eyemouth High Street off the lead with the owner 50 yards behind, so it is quite a signifcant problem.”
Anderson said there was a lot of concern in the town around the incidents and he posted a message on social media this week to ensure people that something was being done.
He added: “It is being treated quite sensitively for the sake of the person who owns the dogs, however the behaviour of that person as a dog owner is just not responsible and it has become quite dangerous.
“Normally if they are bigger dogs they are removed and it is my opinion that the dogs should be removed from the individual because they are not a responsible dog owner.”
