More Action Needed to Tackle Owners of Dangerous Dogs

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MP welcomes new measures but wants them to go even further

The Government's announcing a package of new measures to tackle irresponsible dog ownership.

The number of adults sentenced for offences relating to dangerous dogs has increased by 39 per cent from 855 in 2009 to 1,192 in 2010.

Between 2007 and 2010, five people were killed following a dog attack in the home; four of the victims were children under the age of four years.

Ealing is one of the nine boroughs that has been identified as a problem area for dangerous dogs, and it's an issue Ealing Central and Acton Conservative MP, Angie Bray, has campaigned on.

The Government statement repeats the view that “the primary responsibility for ensuring that dogs are kept under proper control must rest with individual owners.”

Measures include extending existing dangerous dogs law in England to cover all private property and bringing in new regulations on microchipping.

This follows an extended period of consultation where the public were asked whether they thought the law needed to be changed given the mounting concern about dangerous dog attacks.

Responding to the Ministerial statement, Ms Bray said, “This announcement is an important step in the right direction. It does address some of the issues I’ve been campaigning on for a while. I’m glad that protection has been extended to those such as postal workers who get attacked by dogs living on the property where they are delivering. Microchipping is important in establishing ownership, and therefore responsibility for dogs.

“But what we really need now are further measures to tackle dangerous owners who use their dogs to intimidate and threaten, and even attack. We need new anti-social orders so that these people can be held to account and properly punished.”

25th April 2012