Dog off lead in Falmouth comes face to face with young boy

Auderiah Payne was walking with her grandson on Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth when a black Labrador came up to them without its owner and put its face into the face of her grandson before running up to another family and doing the same. 

Auderiah shared her recollection of the incident with The Packet. She said: "Yesterday I took my four-year-old grandson to play on the beach. While walking along the tide line a bouncy black lab came up and put its face into the face of my grandchild.

"The owner of the dog was walking further up the beach, so I shouted at him to control his dog. He took no notice and carried on walking along. 

"Later we sat on our mat digging sand and the same dog came and pestered us again. This time I shouted at the man again and told him to control his dog. Again he took no notice and did not call his dog to heel.

"I then noticed the dog go to another family of a mum with two children, about five and seven years old and another granny. I shouted at the dog and chased it up the beach where I saw the man with his other black and white dog walking away towards Swanpool Beach along the coast path. I told him that I would report him to the Council.

"I went back to the family and they told me that the dog had eaten the little boy's pasty. He was ashen faced and very traumatized. I told them to report the matter to Falmouth Town Council.

"I rang the council today, who told me to phone Cornwall council in Truro where I finally touched base with the community and environmental services dept. The lady on the phone took my report and I will hear from them. 

"I consider that dogs on beaches should be kept under control, with muzzles. They should also be licensed as they used to be when we kept our dog. We had to pay an annual license of ten shillings and sixpence!

"There are sometimes more dogs than children and the former are not being controlled by their owners."