Animal Welfare
Minister Lord Henley today published the summary of the 4,250
responses to the dangerous dogs consultation to better inform
wider public debate on the issue, and repeated his commitment to
tackling dangerous dogs and irresponsible owners.
Lord Henley said:
“The issue of dangerous dogs is not just a problem of dangerous
breeds but also one of bad owners. They need to be held to account
and stopped from ruining people’s lives.
“Dangerous dogs are a major issue affecting many people. This is
why I am working closely with Ministerial colleagues in the Home
Office on the anti-social behaviour dimension to this issue. We
are also working with groups such as the RSPCA to look at other
issues raised in the consultation, such as breed-specific bans,
micro-chipping and attacks on private property.”
Lord Henley said that he would announce the Government’s approach
to dangerous dogs early in the New Year.
Responses to many of the forty proposals in the dangerous dogs
consultation were strongly divided, with primary concerns being
whether the bans on specific dog breeds were the best approach to
reduce dog attacks, and how to deal promptly and effectively with
those that allow their dogs to be a nuisance to others.
Notes to editors
1. The responses to the consultation on dangerous dogs launched
by the previous Government can be found here: http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/dangerous-dogs/index.htm
2. The Government is currently working on a proposal for a
project to look at the motivations, barriers and social norms
surrounding the acquisition and keeping of ‘status dogs’ in urban
communities in the UK. This project has the support of the Home
Office, Communities, Met Police, RSPCA and Dogs Trust.
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Contacts:
Defra Press Office
Phone: 020 7238 6600
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Tom Briggs
Phone: 020 7238 6140
tom.briggs@defra.gsi.gov.uk