Powerful dogs - what you need to know
Under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, police have powers to investigate, seize, and even destroy a dog if it is considered to be dangerous. We support the police in seizing and destroying dogs that maul people, and we understand that the Government is updating guidance on breeds.
One of the major issues at present, is the number of dogs that were bought during COVID lockdown. These dogs were often poorly trained and poorly socialised. Now, they are fully grown adults navigating a world that they did not grow up in, and in a dogs life, that matters significantly.
It is the owners responsibility to train – and restrain – any animals that could cause a danger to the public. In light of this attack, people with a fear of dogs are likely to become even more nervous. Considerate dog owners will look at ways to reassure the people around them when they walk their dog - perhaps walking just one dog at a time, or muzzling dogs that have a nervous or defensive disposition.
As a party we are deeply concerned about puppy farming, which is clearly linked closely to this issue of unpredictable behaviour in dogs. There’s a national Lib Dem campaign to “End Puppy Smuggling” which we encourage you to support:
Stop Puppy Smuggling - Liberal Democrats (libdems.org.uk)
The Dog control PSPO is currently out for consultation to be renewed. This focuses on fouling and controlling the number of dogs a dog walker can take out in one go.
Have your say here:
https://www.birminghambeheard.org.uk/place/public-space-protection-orders-dog-control-2023/
If you have been bitten by a dog, or if you suspect that someone owns an illegal breed or a dangerous dog, you can report that here:
An emergency situation involving a dog should be reported on 999.
We understand that the Government are now urgently reviewing whether to ban the American bully XL breed; we welcome this.
Finally, we hope that those affected by the dog attack this weekend make a swift recovery.