Overhaul needed after schoolgirl death
Following the recent death of schoolgirl Jade Anderson, the Kennel Club has urged the government to take urgent action.
"We are truly saddened to hear about the death of Jade Anderson and our thoughts and deepest condolences go to her family," said Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary.
The charity has called for urgent changes to the Dangerous Dogs Act. Kisko added: "We do not know the specific circumstances surrounding this incident, but the fact that dog related incidents continue to occur highlights how ineffective the current dangerous dogs legislation is."
In a statement, Kisko said: "We wonder how many more tragedies must take place before the government admits that the breed specific legislation in the Dangerous Dogs Act is fatally flawed, wasting limited police resources on seizing dogs of a particular breed, rather than focusing on dogs of any breed that are out of control.
"Recent incidents have involved many different breeds, showing that any dog can be dangerous in the wrong hands.
"Breed specific legislation is also having the unintended consequence of turning banned breeds into status symbols, so that they are taken on by the wrong people who train them for the purposes of fighting or aggression."
The Kennel Club welcomed recent government proposals to extend the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, to include attacks that take place on private property. However, Kisko said, "we stress that children should never be left alone with any dog, regardless of its breed or previous behaviour."
She added: "We urgently need Dog Control Notices to be introduced, to deal with the owners of dogs that are out of control at the earliest signs of a problem."
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
