Dangerous Dog Act – can more be done to protect people?

Questions have been raised over the system currently in place to protect the public from dangerous dogs.

According to figures from the Office for National Statistics, between 2000 and 2019, a total of 64 people in England and Wales lost their lives as a result of an attack by a dog.

The 1991 Dangerous Dog Act is a set of laws that limits the public to what breed of dog they can and can’t own, as well as outlining their responsibilities as owners, in keeping control of potentially dangerous dogs.

The list of prohibited dogs are:

• Pit Bull Terrier
• Japanese Tosa
• Dogo Argentino
• Fila Brasileiro

In 2014, an amendment was made to the act which extended it to cover private property. Prior to this, the Act was only applicable to public spaces.

The punishment for owning any of the previously mentioned breeds varies from a £1,000 fine to six months’ imprisonment.

If any dog was to be the direct cause of loss of life and showed signs of being a ‘dangerous dog’ before the attack, the owner of such a dog could face up to 14 years’ imprisonment.

On deciding whether a dog was potentially dangerous or not prior to an attack, the court is asked to assess the temperament of the dog and also the owner’s ability to control such a dog.

What needs to change?

Caerphilly MP Wayne David offered his comments on some of the changes needed to the act in order to eliminate further threat, including: “focusing on dangerous dogs irrespective of breed”.

He explained the necessity of a shift in approach as cross breeding makes it difficult to simply add dogs to the banned list.

Emphasis on owner and dog assessment was also a clear priority.

Mr David added that this is a national issue that needs UK Government focus and stated how he will be: “initiating cross party talks in order to make rapid modifications”.

What about dog licences?

The need for owners to have a dog licence was abolished in England and Wales in the Local Government Act of 1988. Rather than a means of ensuring dogs were correctly cared for, or that they had responsible owners, it was simply a tax – the only requirement being to own a dog you had to pay.

The final cost when it was withdrawn was just 37p – the equivalent of about £1 in today’s prices.

In 2016 it became mandatory that all dogs in England and Wales had to be microchipped to identify them – but should dog licences come back in a different format?

RSPCA Cymru thinks so and wants them to include an aspect of animal welfare – something that the Welsh Government has powers over.

An RSPCA Cymru spokesperson said: “A licensing scheme could generate money to fund education projects and additional resources to help tackle the issues around dog ownership, including antisocial behaviour involving dogs, dog bite incidents and stray dogs, as well as helping improve welfare for dogs too.

“We, and other leading charities, have long called for a joined-up strategy to manage problems associated with irresponsible dog owners, underpinned and funded by a new dog licence scheme.

“Dogs, owners and non-dog owners would all benefit from such a system, and we hope this is something the Welsh Government will consider as part of their future plans for pet welfare in Wales.”