Our position on the Dangerous Dogs Act (1991) -

Breed Specific Legislation

The benefits of pet ownership are many and having a dog can be an extremely fulfilling addition to an owner’s life. Any dog has the potential to display aggression and bite, resulting from both their genetics and the environment they are exposed to - breed alone is not a reliable predictor of behaviour. The fundamental premise of the Dangerous Dogs Act (1991) (to ban breeds and types of dogs) is ineffective because any dog can be aggressive.  

Unfortunately, since the Act was introduced 32 years ago, it has not been effective in reducing dog bites and human deaths. Simply adding more breeds to the banned breed list, without addressing other aspects of this complex multi-factorial issue, will not protect the public.  We are in full support of the calls to the UK government to repeal Section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act (1991) and prioritise an evidence-based approach to dog control legislation.

The factors behind dog bite incidents are complex and multi-factorial. Rather than banning breeds, evidence-based, well thought out strategies are required to prevent incidents from occurring and leading to serious consequences, including human death. 

Preventive strategies to deal with this serious issue should include enforcement of existing dog control legislation, along with a central database of dog bite incidents allowing effective reporting, monitoring and further research. In addition, effective human-behaviour change interventions are needed to promote safe human-dog interactions and responsible dog ownership and breeding.