LONDON—Big brother may have the solution for Britain’s big dog problem.
Microchipping, insurance, and registration of all dogs are to become compulsory, under government plans to tackle the growing problem of dangerous “status” dogs increasingly used in gangs.
The compulsory microchip will entail inserting a device about the size of a grain of rice between the dog’s shoulders. Dog wardens and vets can then use scanners to trace the dog’s owners.
The number of complaints about dangerous dogs received by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) increased 12-fold in four years with dangerous and outlawed breeds being used by youths and gangs as weapons and as status symbols. Illegal dog fighting is also on the rise in the recent years.
The Home Secretary Alan Johnson said: “The vast majority of dog owners are responsible, but there is no doubt that some people breed and keep dogs for the sole purpose of intimidating others, in a sense using dogs as a weapon. It is this sort of behavior that we will not tolerate; it is this sort of behavior that we are determined to stop.”
There are estimated to be approximately 8 million dogs in the U.K.—about one for every eight people.
Under the proposal, every single dog in the U.K. would have to be registered and licensed. This restriction currently only applies to the four designated breeds of dangerous dogs—pit bull terrier, the Japanese tosa, the dogo Argentino and the fila Brasileiro—which are also required to be neutered.
The plans include an amendment to protect people who are attacked on private property, notably postmen, where the current law holds little sway.
The Home Office says it is already on the way to tackling the issue of dogs being used in gangs, with new powers that come into force later this year. The new gang injunction gives police the power to restrict gang members from certain actions, including being in charge of an animal in a public place.
The plans were broadly welcomed by the RSPCA, that emphasized the need for individual responsibility.
Claire Robinson, RSPCA government relations manager, said, “There is a real need for updated legislation that enables enforcers to tackle the problem effectively and prevent serious incidents from occurring, rather than waiting till after a tragedy or penalizing certain dogs just because of their breed or type.”
Microchipping, insurance, and registration of all dogs are to become compulsory, under government plans to tackle the growing problem of dangerous “status” dogs increasingly used in gangs.
The compulsory microchip will entail inserting a device about the size of a grain of rice between the dog’s shoulders. Dog wardens and vets can then use scanners to trace the dog’s owners.
The number of complaints about dangerous dogs received by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) increased 12-fold in four years with dangerous and outlawed breeds being used by youths and gangs as weapons and as status symbols. Illegal dog fighting is also on the rise in the recent years.
The Home Secretary Alan Johnson said: “The vast majority of dog owners are responsible, but there is no doubt that some people breed and keep dogs for the sole purpose of intimidating others, in a sense using dogs as a weapon. It is this sort of behavior that we will not tolerate; it is this sort of behavior that we are determined to stop.”
There are estimated to be approximately 8 million dogs in the U.K.—about one for every eight people.
Under the proposal, every single dog in the U.K. would have to be registered and licensed. This restriction currently only applies to the four designated breeds of dangerous dogs—pit bull terrier, the Japanese tosa, the dogo Argentino and the fila Brasileiro—which are also required to be neutered.
The plans include an amendment to protect people who are attacked on private property, notably postmen, where the current law holds little sway.
The Home Office says it is already on the way to tackling the issue of dogs being used in gangs, with new powers that come into force later this year. The new gang injunction gives police the power to restrict gang members from certain actions, including being in charge of an animal in a public place.
The plans were broadly welcomed by the RSPCA, that emphasized the need for individual responsibility.
Claire Robinson, RSPCA government relations manager, said, “There is a real need for updated legislation that enables enforcers to tackle the problem effectively and prevent serious incidents from occurring, rather than waiting till after a tragedy or penalizing certain dogs just because of their breed or type.”
