Believes the Government is 'dragging its heels'

The RSPCA has voiced its concerns over the Government's promise to reform dog control legislation, believing it to be "dragging its heels". The animal welfare charity is now calling on members of the public to write to their local MP to ensure the subject is not "swept under the carpet."

Two public consultations on dangerous dogs have been carried out since March 2012, as well as the ongoing Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (EFRACom) inquiry into dog health and welfare, but the lack of changes to the Dangerous Dogs Act (1991) since 1997 has led to a "persecution of dogs based on their physical appearance" that is "unacceptable", according to the RSPCA.

Claire Robinson, the RSPCA's government relations manager, described the current Dangerous Dogs Act as a law that acted as "judge, jury and, all too often, executioner of dogs that are guilty of nothing more than matching a list of physical measurements."

She explained: "More than 70 per cent of people who responded to Defra's consultation in 2010 said they believed breed specific legislation should be repealed, while a massive 88 per cent said they don't think the current law is working.

"Yet here we are, more than two years down the line, and nothing has changed, while thousands of dogs are still being abandoned and abused by irresponsible owners each year."

The next EFRACom session will take place at 3pm on Wednesday 17th October 2012 at the House of Commons.

More information on the Dangerous Dogs Act can be found here.