Tipp vet urges dog owners to look out for subtle signs of potential danger

A Tipperary vet has warned that all dogs are capable of being dangerous, and to read the signs when they may be prone to attack.

There’s deep shock in the west Waterford village of Clashmore after a three-month old baby girl died after being attacked by a family dog yesterday morning.

Three-month-old Mia was rushed to hospital in Cork with injuries but was pronounced dead a short time later.

Speaking to Fran Curry on Tipp Today earlier, Mairéad Leahy of Arra Vets in Tipp Town warned that even when dogs may seem docile, they can easily pose danger:

“Sometimes you see these videos up on Facebook, where you have your big dog and the baby lying beside it. And you’re saying ‘Oh look, my dog is really good’.

“But if you look at the signs with the dog, they may have their ears back, they may have the little bit of white showing in their eyes. They may be like ‘ya grand, you’re doing this, that’s ok, but I’m not happy about this’.

“But they have an awful lot of patience, and they put up with it to a certain extent.”