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The mother of a ten-year-old boy who died after a dog attack in Penyrheol in 2021 will be visiting Parliament to speak with MPs this week.
Emma Whitfield, mother of Jack Lis, will be meeting with MPs at a drop-in session on Tuesday March 28, which will also be attended by the RSPCA and Dogs Trust.
Ms Whitfield will be meeting with politicians from across the political spectrum during her visit, which has been arranged by Caerphilly’s Labour MP Wayne David.
Mr David has been pushing for changes to the Dangerous Dogs Act following the deaths of Jack in November 2021 and Shirley Patrick, 83, in December 2022.
What is the Dangerous Dogs Act?
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.
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.
Ms Whitfield said: “I am pleased to be visiting parliament to speak with MPs and raise awareness about the problems with the current dangerous dog laws.
“I want to make sure that what happened to my son Jack can never happen again.”
Mr David has previously called for the reintroduction of some sort of licence for dog owners, which would be enforced by local authorities.
He said: “I believe there is a potential political agreement on how the law on dangerous dogs could be radically changed for the better. All political parties need to make this a priority.
“Emma is incredibly brave to be coming to London to do this. It obviously means a lot to her, and I am sure that parliamentarians will listen closely to what she has to say.
“Emma is also speaking at a large event in parliament in June on the issue of dog bites.”
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