Rising public concern leads to law changes on dangerous dogs

Rising public concern about the increasing number of dangerous dogs and dog attacks is finally being addressed by the Government.

Plans to crack down on dog owners breeding dangerous dogs and using them as weapons will be tackled when existing laws are toughed, announced Environment Secretary Hilary Benn and Home Secretary Alan Johnson today.

The RSPCA has seen the number of complaints it receives concerning dog fights rocket between 2004 and 2008.

In London alone last year, police seized 900 dangerous dogs.

Now a consultation will be taking place looking at extending the dangerous dog law to cover all places, including private property.

Currently, the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 for England and Wales does not include attacks which happen on private property where dogs live with their owners.

Victims attacked by dogs in these situations can only take action through the civil courts.

As well as protecting family members, the change in law will also protect visitors to a house including postal workers, trades people and telecoms engineers.

The police and local councils will be given more power to tackle animals through a new Dog Control Notice.

The exemption law allowing dog owners to keep certain breeds of banned dogs if they are muzzled, chipped and insured could be scrapped.

Hilary Benn said: “There is a lot of public concern about dog attacks, including the recent tragic deaths of young children, and about the rise in the number of so-called ‘status dogs’ used to intimidate or threaten people.

“This is a serious issue of public safety. The Government wants to hear what people think about the law as it stands and what more we might do to protect people from dangerous dogs.”

The Association of Police Officers (ACPO) will be given an extra £20,000 of funding to help train dog legislation officers in police forces to help police better deal with dangerous dogs.

There are four different types of dog that are banned under current laws: pit bull terriers, Japanese tosas, the dogo Argentinos and the fila brasileiros.

It is illegal to breed these dogs or to own one unless it has been placed on the Exempted Dog Index by a court.

A dog owned under this system must be neutered, tattooed, micro chipped, muzzled and kept on a lead in public at all times.