@Jay
About the only other way you could make this "sting" for the owner (within the law) is having the injury assessed and treated by a medical professional, amending the police complaint with the medical report, and having a lawyer send the bill to the dog owner with the implied threat that you will take them to court if they don't pay immediately. Have them cover the lawyer's costs as well. Find the right lawyer and they will do a lot more.
Make the police report now, and then amend it later with the medical report. They may have a talk with the owner twice from one report if the amendment changes their assessment of the situation. The lawyer would be a third point of contact, and the lawyer may have better knowledge of the laws that apply, and may be able to encourage the police to act more fully on the report, or may have knowledge of other ways you can legally encourage the owner to more fully comply with the law.
If you're really invested you could go to the park yourself and report to the authorities every time there's a loose dog (assuming leash laws are strict). If you are ever threatened by a loose animal you may be legally able to confine it (ie, leash it) and - particularly if it has no identification - disallow the owner to have it back, turning it instead into the local animal shelter until the owner can verify ownership. This is risky, though, as without proof that the dog was a threat they may simply treat you as the criminal, stealing other people's dogs. Probably best to call the authorities and provide a good description of the dog loose each time so a pattern is detected, and cause the authorities to continue to pester the owner, and possibly eventually fine them, if they are unable to control their animal. Find the nearest animal shelter that accepts strays, and have a plan so you can immediately take them there without looking up an address or delaying the handoff to a shelter. Shelters will often charge fees to owners for their return.
Those are all petty, time consuming things to do, but it might force all pet owners nearby (not just that one bad owner) to take leash laws more seriously.
As far as the future, consider keeping a baseball bat or dog pepper spray with the stroller.
I can understand what you're feeling - we had a loose dog come onto our property and attack our chickens, and I'm glad my children (particularly toddlers) weren't outside. Given that it's a rural area, and the dog was on my property, attacking my animals, I have a lot more leeway with what I can legally do*, though. Your hands are significantly tied given that it was public property in an urban area.
*The dog survived its encounter with me, and I received assurances that the dog didn't live in this area, was only visiting, and I would never see it again.
About the only other way you could make this "sting" for the owner (within the law) is having the injury assessed and treated by a medical professional, amending the police complaint with the medical report, and having a lawyer send the bill to the dog owner with the implied threat that you will take them to court if they don't pay immediately. Have them cover the lawyer's costs as well. Find the right lawyer and they will do a lot more.
Make the police report now, and then amend it later with the medical report. They may have a talk with the owner twice from one report if the amendment changes their assessment of the situation. The lawyer would be a third point of contact, and the lawyer may have better knowledge of the laws that apply, and may be able to encourage the police to act more fully on the report, or may have knowledge of other ways you can legally encourage the owner to more fully comply with the law.
If you're really invested you could go to the park yourself and report to the authorities every time there's a loose dog (assuming leash laws are strict). If you are ever threatened by a loose animal you may be legally able to confine it (ie, leash it) and - particularly if it has no identification - disallow the owner to have it back, turning it instead into the local animal shelter until the owner can verify ownership. This is risky, though, as without proof that the dog was a threat they may simply treat you as the criminal, stealing other people's dogs. Probably best to call the authorities and provide a good description of the dog loose each time so a pattern is detected, and cause the authorities to continue to pester the owner, and possibly eventually fine them, if they are unable to control their animal. Find the nearest animal shelter that accepts strays, and have a plan so you can immediately take them there without looking up an address or delaying the handoff to a shelter. Shelters will often charge fees to owners for their return.
Those are all petty, time consuming things to do, but it might force all pet owners nearby (not just that one bad owner) to take leash laws more seriously.
As far as the future, consider keeping a baseball bat or dog pepper spray with the stroller.
I can understand what you're feeling - we had a loose dog come onto our property and attack our chickens, and I'm glad my children (particularly toddlers) weren't outside. Given that it's a rural area, and the dog was on my property, attacking my animals, I have a lot more leeway with what I can legally do*, though. Your hands are significantly tied given that it was public property in an urban area.
*The dog survived its encounter with me, and I received assurances that the dog didn't live in this area, was only visiting, and I would never see it again.
