Measures to control dogs set to change in Wales

The Welsh Government has launched a consultation to review the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, and has introduced the Control of Dogs (Wales) Bill.

The bill, which was put forward by Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development John Griffiths, has been welcomed by various organisations in the animal industry, including the BVA, Dogs Trust and Kennel Club.

If implemented, the bill will overhaul current dangerous dog legislation to better protect the public and improve the welfare of dogs and other animals in Wales. This will see action being taken where dogs attack people or other animals on any property.

The Welsh Government hopes to promote responsible ownership through dog training and education and, as a result of the bill, local authorities will also be able to serve Dog Control Notices (DCNs) to prevent dogs becoming dangerous.

BVA President Peter Jones said: “The announcement clearly recognises that a dog’s behaviour is primarily the result of the way it is reared, socialised and trained and not the way it looks, and that irresponsible ownership needs to be tackled in a constructive manner before it becomes a problem.
 
“Many of the elements included in the draft Bill are changes that BVA has long campaigned for alongside dog welfare organisations, the police and others.
 
“The Dangerous Dogs Act, which focuses on a dog’s breed, has failed and ultimately the BVA wants to see it repealed. We hope that these bold measures in Wales will be another step towards better dog control legislation across the UK.”

On Friday (November 23), the same day the Welsh Government launched its bill, a Royal-Mail commissioned report was published. The Langley Report includes recommendations for tackling dog attacks on postal workers, which emphasises the need to extend the law to apply to private property.

The consultation will be open until next March.