Driving along a busy road yesterday, about 3pm (school kicking out time) I saw 2 rather large, yet very impressive looking dogs, charging down the road.

you could tell they had 'escaped' from somewhere by the excited looks on their faces and thier general behaviour - in and out of gardens etc at 200 mph.

The biggest looked a bit like a Boerboel at first glance, but on closer inspection perhaps a Bullmastiff cross, with I would guess a Rottie (tail docked Rottie size etc, but Bull mastiff type head and colour)

The other looked a DDB, but again I would say cross - drak brindle type colour.

I am a large dog fanatic, we have a Dobe and obsessed with BTs, but appreciate that these type dogs arn't to everyone's taste.

As a repsonsible dog owner, I thought best if I contacted the RSPCA, for both the public's and the dog's safety, but it was closed!

I called the police (not knowing what else to do) on the local number, who said they knew the dogs (my guess on BM x Rottie was correct) and would send someone to investigate.

Would you have done the same? anything others would have done?

I am surprised the Police were interested.  When I phoned them regarding a large dog dodging in and out of traffic on a busy road I was told to phone the dog warden.  I did tell them I was calling them as this dog was very likely to cause a road traffic accident, they were still not interested.  I phoned the dog warden who had gone home!

Gosh I'd like to think that in the VERY unlikely chance (never say never) my dogs escaped without my knowledge people would be trying to capture them, especially if they were likely to cause a traffic accident!

Think it depends on which police, remember a Panda turning up with two very wet large dogs at my sisters house in Romford, one St. Bernard and one Newfie, goodness alone knows how they got them into the car and I don't hold out much hope that they managed to clean the car either.

Hasn't it recently changed and ONLY the local councils (i.e. dog wardens) can pick up stray dogs and no longer the police? Don't think the RSPCA has ever been allowed to.

Well Sandrah I have to say that the police were great when my dog was taken.  Even 2 years later they were interested to know how she was etc.

As I was driving along the road I was actually more worried that there was going to be a very nasty accident then the welfare of the dog at the time, I think it is a disgrace that the police will not or cannot intervine to avoid a possible fatal RTA.  The dog (GSD) was obviously not used to being out it was scared stiff and running through the traffic.  Unfortunately there was not a safe place to stop to try and catch him, otherwise I and I am sure other drivers would have tried.

I am pretty sure that things changed beginning of this month and now it is the councils responsibility to provide for stray dogs, not the police.

That said.. I belive it is 'recommended' that councils make provision for stray dogs... they don't HAVE to, certainly they are not obliged to out of hours/weekends..

Sandra.. I think the police are there to deal with crime, not prevent accidents - potential accidents, accidents which havent even happened yet, are beyond their remit.

I saw a labrador dodge across the M11 a few weeks back, I would have stopped to try to catch him but he'd gone onto the other carriageway and up a hill out of sight, and I was in the fast lane so no way of getting to a safe place and then safely across the 6 lanes!! People on the other carriageway were stopping and running after him so I hope they caught him. :-(