Member News
By Lord Redesdale - 4th March 2011
Lord Redesdale outlines the proposals included in the Dog Control Bill, as it reaches committee stage in the House of Lords.
The Dog Control Bill has its committee stage in the House of Lords on Friday 7th March. The bill is a response to the total failure of the Dangerous Dogs Act. There are now more pit bulls on the street than when the dangerous dogs legislation came into operation but more importantly, pit bull-like dogs have become status dogs.
There are two key problem with status dogs; firstly, that they are used to create fear in local communities – who has not heard a story of someone being made to feel uncomfortable by a pit bull-like dog off lead without a muzzle? The second problem is that of animal welfare. The dogs themselves are often badly treated and trained to be aggressive. This overwhelmingly renders them uncontrollable by their owners, and the dogs are then abandoned into the care of dog rescue charities. It is extremely difficult to re-home a de-socialised dog and therefore many of these dogs have to be put down.
The purpose of the Dog Control Bill is to make sure that the owners take responsibility for their dogs. The actions of the dogs are made the responsibility of the owner, with sanctions provided in the bill depending on the seriousness of the offence. Unlike the Dangerous Dogs Act, this could be a simple question of making sure the dog is on a lead, muzzled or that the owner should take dog training classes.
There is more serious provision for those dogs who commit a serious or second offence. The dog is linked to the owner, because on the first offence the dog is micro-chipped. This will stop the present problem of working out the ownership of the dog.
This bill has the support of the majority of groups working with dogs, such as the Kennel Club, Dogs Trust, Blue Cross and the PDSA. It is a simple bill which addresses the real problem of owners who own dogs for the wrong reasons. It firmly places responsibility on the right end of the lead.
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd