Self Defense Against a Wild Animal

[DWx]

I'm with DwX and Sparticus on this. It's a bad spot to be in. I've always opted to go the spray route with them. Way better option than not having something in hand.

Check local laws though. Pepper spray is illegal to carry by civilians in the UK.

Then what's left for the civilian to use in the UK? More importantly, why is pepper spray illegal for civilians in the UK?

It's classed as a Section 5 weapon in the 1968 Firearms Act. Police have a version they can use called PAVA, but this is not to be used by civilians.

To be honest, the general rule in the UK is to not carry anything that is intended to be used as a weapon. Without wanting to open a whole different can of worms, ultimately I think it comes down to a difference in culture between the UK and US. Our homicide rate is quite a bit lower (4x) and the types of crime we encounter tend to be less violent so we have less need to carry things like pepper spray.

If you want a bit of bedtime reading the Office for National Statistics has a lengthy report here:

http://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/compendium/focusonviolentcrimeandsexualoffences/2015-02-12

But this bit in particular is worth noting:

http://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/compendium/focusonviolentcrimeandsexualoffences/2015-02-12/chapter1violentcrimeandsexualoffencesoverview#use-of-weapons-and-injuries-in-violent-crimes

According to the 2013/14 CSEW, in 19% of violent incidents a weapon was used... The most commonly used weapons in the 2013/14 survey were a knife or a hitting implement (each used in 6% of violent incidents).

In the 2013/14 CSEW, victims sustained a physical injury in 48% of incidents of violence. The most common type of injury in incidents of violence was minor bruising/black eye (27% of incidents). A lower proportion of incidents involved more serious injuries such as broken bones (3%), concussion or loss of consciousness (2%) or a broken nose (1%)

If you download the data table linked in the report, 80% of incidents occurred without a weapon involved and in all likelihood you're just going home with a black eye so personally I have less of a need to carry a weapon here than I might do elsewhere in the world.

[sensei8]

Thanks, Danielle; great information!!

Do they have in the UK, Open Carry Laws, and if so, could Pepper Spray become part of that??

[DWx]

Thanks, Danielle; great information!!

Do they have in the UK, Open Carry Laws, and if so, could Pepper Spray become part of that??

No open carry laws as far as I'm aware. Even police officers have to get special dispensation to carry a firearm on duty as only Authorised Firearms Officers (AFO's) carry and I doubt they'd allow people to carry pepper spray.

If I remember correctly a special exemption had to even be agreed on during London 2012 for the shooting event to take place and for teams to practice as this would normally be illegal.