Dog Control Bill stalls in Parliament
The Dog Control Bill, a proposed replacement for the much-criticised Dangerous Dogs Act 1989, subsequent Amendments to the Act and similar legislation, has stalled after the First Reading in the House of Commons and there is no indication that the Bill will progress any further in the immediate future. The proposed Bill includes the repeal of legislation specific to breeds, the creation of Dog Control Notices and the extension of the scope of the law to include private property, and was first put forward as a Private Members Bill by Lord Redesdale (Lib).
Demand for changes to legislation for the control of dangerous dogs has been strong for some time. All of the major political parties, many leading charities, many local authorities, and a broad range of veterinary and animal welfare organisations have called for changes in the law, and a petition calling for a new Bill to be included in the Queen's Speech has garnered over 10,000 signatures.
Commenting, Caroline Nokes MP (Con), who also sponsored the Bill, said “Banning the Pit Bull Terrier in 1991 was a huge mistake; creating a picture to the general public that certain breeds of dog are dangerous and others not is hugely irresponsible. The media has also played its part in demonising certain breeds and making people afraid of them, which has served no purpose but to make them even more attractive to the wrong kinds of people who do not think twice about flouting the law. If the law was working owners of dangerous dogs would be brought to account already, however in most cases they are not. Doing away with breed specific legislation and introducing genuinely preventative measures that focus on the other end of the lead, dog owners themselves, would remove the attraction that these dogs currently have”.
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
