Make dogs attacking other pets a specific criminal offence

We want people to be held accountable for dogs that attack other pets. At the moment a dog attacking another pet isn't an offence unless it's deemed to be out of control. We want this to be made a specific offence, like worrying livestock.

It has been reported that dog on dog attacks are on the increase, and we are concerned that this has been exacerbated by a lack of knowledge of owners about the heritage of their dogs and needs for training.

People’s pets are being hurt or killed and we believe the Government needs to change the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in order to make dogs attacking other pets a specific offence. If a dog attacked a flock of sheep or chickens the owner would be guilty of an offence and the dog could be put down, but if a dog attacks and kills a pet, and isn't judged to be out of control this wouldn't be an offence. We believe this is not fair and needs to be changed

We recognise that dog attacks on other pets can have horrific consequences, and we take this issue very seriously. We consider that current dog control powers and our ongoing work to improve their application are sufficient to address this issue without the need to introduce a specific offence.

Police and local authorities have a range of powers available to tackle dangerous dogs and irresponsible dog ownership across all breeds of dog, including in cases where a dog attacks another pet.

It is an offence under section 3(1) of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 to allow any dog to be dangerously out of control in any place. The law does not specifically exclude an attack by a dog on another animal from the offence of allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control.

Case law supports the possibility of prosecutions being brought under section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in relation to dog-on-dog attacks. Successful cases have also been brought for dog-on-cat attacks using section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. It will, however, be for the Crown Prosecution Service to assess, on a case-by-case basis, whether to proceed with a prosecution under the legislation.

Section 2 of the Dogs Act 1871 also allows a complaint to be made to a Magistrates’ court where a dog is “dangerous and not kept under proper control”. The court may make any Order it considers appropriate, to require the owner to keep the dog under proper control, or if necessary, that it be destroyed.

Under the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014 the police and local authorities can issue community protection notices (CPN) to address anti-social behaviour involving dogs and prevent dog control issues becoming more serious. A CPN could require the owner of a dog to stop or start doing certain things to reduce the impact of the dog’s behaviour on the community. This could include specific requirements such as wearing a lead or muzzle in public, attending dog training, or ensuring that a garden is securely enclosed so a dog cannot escape.