Anna Firth is the MP for Southend West
Irresponsible dog ownership is a growing and serious problem. Not only has there been a huge increase in recent years in both fatal and non-fatal dog attacks, but the number of out-of-control dogs attacking other dogs has also skyrocketed. In 2021 there were some 11,559 dog-on-dog attacks across the UK, up from just 1,700 in 2016.
That is an increase of nearly 700 per cent. The UK’s dog population is estimated to have risen by only 15 per cent in that time. This means that across the UK there is a dog attack every 45 minutes, and in almost every case these are caused by owners not keeping control of their animals.
This is exactly what happened to Michael, one of my constituents, and Emelie, his beautiful Bichon Frise, known affectionately as Millie. In December 2021, while still on the lead, Emelie was brutally attacked by an unleashed dog in Chalkwell Park in Leigh-on-Sea. After the trauma of watching Emelie being “shaken like a rag-doll”, Michael was left with no option but to carry Emelie, bleeding and with serious open injuries to her abdomen, to the nearest vet. Tragically, Emelie had to be put down.
Due to the fact that Michael was not under any fear of injury to himself, the dog was not deemed to be “dangerous” under the Dangerous Dogs Act. No criminal charges could be brought for what the Police simply called a “dog on dog” attack. No justice could be brought for Emelie.
Sadly, Michael’s story is far from an isolated incident. Anecdotal evidence suggest many similar, traumatic tales. A 2020 report by the Dogs Trust, reports that 78 per cent of those surveyed reported witnessing at least one dog-on-dog incident in the previous year, and 16 per cent reported their own dog being attacked by another dog.
The emotional toll of these attacks on owners cannot be overstated. For many pet owners, their dogs are like members of the family, often fulfilling a vital companionship role. To see a pet dog being torn apart in front of their eyes is devasting and deeply harrowing.
Not only must owners grapple with the pain and suffering of their beloved pet, but they must also shoulder the financial burden of expensive vet bills. The trauma of a dog attack can be long-lasting. The common theme that runs through all these incidents is deep dissatisfaction with the police response to these attacks.
The Covid-19 pandemic has only exacerbated this issue. During the pandemic, an estimated 12 per cent of people in the UK acquired a new pet, and 40 per cent of those were dogs. This represents millions more dogs acquired in a very short space of time, many of whom have not been properly socialised or trained.
Irresponsible ownership and lack of training is leading to more aggressive or violent behaviour in dogs, in turn resulting in an increased number of dog-on-dog attacks. Despite the law on out-of-control dogs being strengthened considerably in recent years, a dog owner is still not liable for any form of prosecution, unless the injured dog is an assistance or a service dog, or unless another human is injured or attacked.
It is this gap in the current legal framework that leaves pet owners powerless and deeply frustrated, while also allowing dangerous dogs to continue causing harm without consequence. Pet owners like Michael find it baffling that they themselves are too distressed to walk in their local park anymore, while the owner and their “dangerous” dog are free to continue walking wherever they choose with no controls put on the dog.
Community Protection Notices (CPNs), designed to take preventative action against dog owners whose dogs are behaving aggressively, have not delivered the desired results. Not only are they rarely used, they are simply not tailored to tackling dog control.
Hope lies in the growing recognition in the UK of the problem of dog-on-dog attacks and a need for more robust legislation. Finn’s law, which came into being in 2019 under this Government, criminalised attacks on serving police dogs (and horses). This followed the case of Finn, a police dog who was brutally attacked in the line of duty.
Making it a criminal offence where a dog kills or fatally injures another dog would extend similar protections to all dogs and ensure that all dog owners take responsibility for the consequences of their pet’s behaviour. Other European countries already take this tougher line. In Germany, for example, an attacking dog’s owner can be fined, banned from owning a dog in the future, and even imprisoned. Similarly, in Cyprus attacking dogs are immediately removed and irresponsible owners face criminal proceedings.
Clearly, not all dog owners are irresponsible, and not all dogs are dangerous. The vast majority of owners take their responsibilities seriously, and their pets are well-behaved. However, we cannot ignore the fact that there is a small minority of dog owners who are putting other pet dogs at risk.
For a nation that prides itself on a love of animals, the time has come to do more to hold irresponsible dog owners to account and ensure that responsible dog owners do not have to suffer like Michael – and Emelie – did.
Anna Firth is the MP for Southend West
Irresponsible dog ownership is a growing and serious problem. Not only has there been a huge increase in recent years in both fatal and non-fatal dog attacks, but the number of out-of-control dogs attacking other dogs has also skyrocketed. In 2021 there were some 11,559 dog-on-dog attacks across the UK, up from just 1,700 in 2016.
That is an increase of nearly 700 per cent. The UK’s dog population is estimated to have risen by only 15 per cent in that time. This means that across the UK there is a dog attack every 45 minutes, and in almost every case these are caused by owners not keeping control of their animals.
This is exactly what happened to Michael, one of my constituents, and Emelie, his beautiful Bichon Frise, known affectionately as Millie. In December 2021, while still on the lead, Emelie was brutally attacked by an unleashed dog in Chalkwell Park in Leigh-on-Sea. After the trauma of watching Emelie being “shaken like a rag-doll”, Michael was left with no option but to carry Emelie, bleeding and with serious open injuries to her abdomen, to the nearest vet. Tragically, Emelie had to be put down.
Due to the fact that Michael was not under any fear of injury to himself, the dog was not deemed to be “dangerous” under the Dangerous Dogs Act. No criminal charges could be brought for what the Police simply called a “dog on dog” attack. No justice could be brought for Emelie.
Sadly, Michael’s story is far from an isolated incident. Anecdotal evidence suggest many similar, traumatic tales. A 2020 report by the Dogs Trust, reports that 78 per cent of those surveyed reported witnessing at least one dog-on-dog incident in the previous year, and 16 per cent reported their own dog being attacked by another dog.
The emotional toll of these attacks on owners cannot be overstated. For many pet owners, their dogs are like members of the family, often fulfilling a vital companionship role. To see a pet dog being torn apart in front of their eyes is devasting and deeply harrowing.
Not only must owners grapple with the pain and suffering of their beloved pet, but they must also shoulder the financial burden of expensive vet bills. The trauma of a dog attack can be long-lasting. The common theme that runs through all these incidents is deep dissatisfaction with the police response to these attacks.
The Covid-19 pandemic has only exacerbated this issue. During the pandemic, an estimated 12 per cent of people in the UK acquired a new pet, and 40 per cent of those were dogs. This represents millions more dogs acquired in a very short space of time, many of whom have not been properly socialised or trained.
Irresponsible ownership and lack of training is leading to more aggressive or violent behaviour in dogs, in turn resulting in an increased number of dog-on-dog attacks. Despite the law on out-of-control dogs being strengthened considerably in recent years, a dog owner is still not liable for any form of prosecution, unless the injured dog is an assistance or a service dog, or unless another human is injured or attacked.
It is this gap in the current legal framework that leaves pet owners powerless and deeply frustrated, while also allowing dangerous dogs to continue causing harm without consequence. Pet owners like Michael find it baffling that they themselves are too distressed to walk in their local park anymore, while the owner and their “dangerous” dog are free to continue walking wherever they choose with no controls put on the dog.
Community Protection Notices (CPNs), designed to take preventative action against dog owners whose dogs are behaving aggressively, have not delivered the desired results. Not only are they rarely used, they are simply not tailored to tackling dog control.
Hope lies in the growing recognition in the UK of the problem of dog-on-dog attacks and a need for more robust legislation. Finn’s law, which came into being in 2019 under this Government, criminalised attacks on serving police dogs (and horses). This followed the case of Finn, a police dog who was brutally attacked in the line of duty.
Making it a criminal offence where a dog kills or fatally injures another dog would extend similar protections to all dogs and ensure that all dog owners take responsibility for the consequences of their pet’s behaviour. Other European countries already take this tougher line. In Germany, for example, an attacking dog’s owner can be fined, banned from owning a dog in the future, and even imprisoned. Similarly, in Cyprus attacking dogs are immediately removed and irresponsible owners face criminal proceedings.
Clearly, not all dog owners are irresponsible, and not all dogs are dangerous. The vast majority of owners take their responsibilities seriously, and their pets are well-behaved. However, we cannot ignore the fact that there is a small minority of dog owners who are putting other pet dogs at risk.
For a nation that prides itself on a love of animals, the time has come to do more to hold irresponsible dog owners to account and ensure that responsible dog owners do not have to suffer like Michael – and Emelie – did.