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The UK Government must come up with a plan to tackle the illegal breeding and sale of dangerous dogs, Caerphilly’s MP has demanded.
On Friday September 15, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak vowed to ban American XL Bully dogs, which he described as a “danger to our communities, particularly our children”.
However, Labour MP Wayne David has hit out at the Prime Minister for not taking action sooner.
Mr David has made repeated calls for radical changes to dog laws in the UK, and has been campaigning on the matter alongside Emma Whitfield.
Ms Whitfield’s son, Jack Lis, died at the age of just ten in November 2021, after being attacked by a dangerous dog at a friend’s house in Penyrheol.
In December 2022, there was another fatal dog attack in Penyrheol, claiming the life of 83-year-old grandmother Shirley Patrick.
Mr David said: “In January I asked the Prime Minister, on the floor of the House during Prime Minister’s Questions, about what was being done about dangerous dogs.
“He expressed his concern and sympathy following the death of two of my constituents. But he took no action.
“Only now, eight months after I raised the matter with him, he has decided to begin a process which, he says, will lead to a ban on XL Bullies.”
Mr David continued: “There is a desperate need to expedite matters as quickly as possible regarding the XL bully. But it is also vital that the government come forward with a plan to tackle the illegal breeding of dangerous dogs, their sale, the links with criminality, and the need for responsible ownership.”
Mr David said he and Labour leader Keir Starmer “will be placing the greatest possible pressure on the Prime Minister to make sure that this issue is tackled in a decisive and comprehensive way”.
He added: “My constituents, and people throughout the country, need to be safe.”
Responsible dog ownership a “priority” for Welsh Government
Welsh Government rural affairs minister Lesley Griffiths has welcomed Mr Sunak’s plan to ban the XL Bully breed.
Ms Griffiths said she had written to the UK Government “over many years” asking them to address the number of incidents involving the breed, “and to look at how the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 can be improved”.
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.
The minister said her officials will “work closely with UK Government to ensure the ban does not negatively affect public safety, dog welfare or put pressure on the wider animal welfare sector”.
Ms Griffiths continued: “Promotion of responsible dog ownership is a priority for the Welsh Government and our Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs outlines the obligations on owners to keep their dogs under control.
“Our Programme for Government includes several measures that will improve standards of dog breeding and keeping in Wales.”
She added: “We will continue to keep under constant review what we can do here in Wales to prevent the dangers posed by irresponsible dog ownership, while promoting the benefits that dogs can bring to society.”
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