As it stands the dangerous dogs act 1991 (amended 2014) is very badly written.
It makes no allowance for accidents rather than aggression.
It makes no allowance for a dog protecting their owner against a clear aggressor.
It makes no allowance for a dog with no history of aggression who has been analysed by an expert and found to be docile
DID YOU KNOW
If a knifeman attacks you and your dog defends you and attacks the knifeman your dog could be killed by the police.
If your dog is running around chasing sticks and knocks somebody else over causing an injury your dog could be killed by the police.
In all of the situations your dog will be dealt with in the same way as a psychotic or seriously aggressive pitbull who attacks a person without provocation.
The law currently makes no allowance for accidents or circumstances. The law makes no allowance for the behaviour of humans around the dog at the time of the incident. A death sentence for the dog is the only course of action the law allows for.
I am calling for a change in the law to allow for appropriate training, fines, or rehoming as alternative outcomes for a prosecution in situations where the dog is not aggressive or danger to the public and the behaviour of humans to be taken into account in assessing the risk.
1) The law does not differentiate between deliberate neglect on the part of an owner and a genuine error in supervision. This seems a Draconian omission.
2) It should be mandatory (rather than advisory) that police DLOs (Dog Legislation Officers) are trained and able to assess every dog that is subject to a complaint before any action is taken.
