Should ANYONE Be Allowed to be a Dog Owner? A tragic start to 2007 saw a young girl’s life taken as a result of a dog attack. Earlier in 2006 we were saddened to learn of the death of toddler as a result of an attack by two Rottweiler dogs. The death had reignited calls from some quarters to introduce breed legislation to combat further attacks. K9 Magazine is fundamentally opposed to breed legislation as we firmly believe it would NOT solve the problem of dog attacks. K9 Magazine is calling for the UK to consider the introduction of a dog ownership test which would require would-be dog owners to pass a test similar to that of the driving licence theory exam. We have contacted Patricia Hewitt, the MP for the area in Leicester where the fatal attack occured and we are keen to take our proposal to the highest level possible. If you agree with us and believe the responsibility lies with dog owners and breed specific legislation is not the answer to this problem, PLEASE post your thoughts and opinions on this blog. It can and will make a difference in helping to show there is a will to avoid dog attacks but breed legislation is not the solution. Equally if you believe we’re wrong and breed legislation IS the answer, please feel encouraged to publish your views. Currently, in law, it is a British person’s right to own a dog regardless of background, knowledge or motive. At K9 Magazine we hold the view that it should be a privellege to own a dog, a privellege that should be earned by demonstrating a genuine desire to learn about canine welfare requirements, to understand the law relating to dogs and to sign a pledge promising to do everything possible to be a responsible owner. Unlike the previous dog licence which simply acted as a record keeping system, our scheme is to establish a real line of education amongst all new dog owners. Not just to educate on the dangers of uncontrolled dogs but also covering the very basic levels of care all dogs need, how to spot potential problems before they grow, how to select the right breeder and generally develop a basic curriculum for all new dog owners to learn from. We note that certain dog organisations are asking for ‘ASBOS for Dogs’. We don’t share the view that this is the answer. This would be post event legislation and would not solve the real problem at its source. The wrong breeders supplying the wrong dogs to the wrong, uneducated owner. The key is prevention and via our scheme this is utterly achievable. LINKS: Calll For New Dog Ownership Law - Daily Mirror
We ask our readers for their opinions on our proposals to introduce a dog ownership exam which we believe all prospective new dog owners should be required to pass prior to acquiring a dog.
Articles and Opinion on Dog Attacks
6 Responses
daniel cody
September 14th, 2007 at 4:58 am
1i think a licence would be a great idea to stop just anyone getting a dog. i have always owned bull breeds of some sort without incident but i see far too many people that can’t control their collies or other dogs which means that my dogs have been bitten many times by other dogs because some people just don’t train or scocilaise their pups.
Marc Thomas
October 22nd, 2007 at 11:31 am
2Fantastic idea a dog licence, with the owner liable for the dog this is what people should be thinking!!
To ban certain breeds of dog is worthless it will cause more problems
problem 1. The dog owner changes breed and makes that breed just as nasty but all is legal!
problem 2. Its a creation of jobs, the people who use the dogs for fighting and most other low life scum will now be able to sell these dogs at double the price you just made a new blackmarket item!
As we see on the last paorama with the media focusing on the fighting side to the animal, yes we will see a mean and highly strung dog but its down to human control.
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A BAD DOG ITS A BAD OWNER.
Banning a particular type off breed is worthless it causes more problems and more of the tax payers money to control and ”try” and fix.
If this country could apply a license all expenses could and would be charged to the dog owner.
Tragic deaths that have occured may not have been occured if all humans had to be vetted makes sense people push for it!!
Racheal
December 10th, 2007 at 7:35 am
3This would be a good idea but how would it be enforced?
All I hear recently is of children being attacked, why cant we focus on the children that ARE NOT being attacked by pets?
WHY?? Because the stats are so much higher of non attacks then theyre is of attacks.
Helen
May 27th, 2008 at 4:05 am
4I have proposed this to my MP, and received letters from the H.O.C. saying that it is not practical, difficult to enforce, too costly, and the best bit… After consultation with the Association of Chief Police Officers the current legislation just needs to be more rigorously enforced, but they intend to publish new guidance on issues surrounding dangerous and unruly dogs.
The bit that stood out most from the reply (which comes from DEFRA through the H.O.C.) was the fact they say it would be CONTROVERSIAL to change the legislation due to evidence of major world trade in banned pit bull type dogs!
The fact that RSPCA and many other dog groups, backed by bite stats prove the breeds shouldn’t be banned at all is overlooked!
The suggestions I made were arrived at after lengthy discussion with many owners, and used parts of legislation for the ownership of ‘dangerous dogs’ from other countries. The conditions for dogs able to cause serious injury obviously being a consideration, but not one we shouldn’t be able to overcome should we wish. All of the people discussing this agreed they would happily be subjected to it.
My final thought on the matter is that these people don’t care, any that do are obviously not high up enough to make a difference. Another lovely part of being British we will lose - the ability to choose our preferred breed of ‘man’s best friend’! Sad? I think so!
Attacks are rarely unprovoked, they stem either from bad training, lack of socialization or a person (including children, who are their parents responsibility) and their direct actions towards the dog! The solution is not to ban the dog, as to follow this trend would lead to complete erradication of all canines!
We don’t operate a ‘they’re all the same’ policy with people, as it’s considered racist - why do it with dogs?
Allen
June 9th, 2008 at 8:55 am
5I live in the US but the song is the same here. If we are to ban Bull Terriers because more than one has been involved in an attack, then we should ban the dumb rednecks that invariably own them instead. If my mother was mugged by a black man, I would be a racist to propose that all black men be restricted or outlawed in my town.
Owners are the problem and they should at least be educated or made aware of the care and training methods most useful with each breed. If I buy a motorcycle, an ATV, or even a skateboard, It comes with warning labels and I am expected to use proper safety equipment. I was required to prove my ID and be background checked before I bought a gun. I have to have a license to drive a car. A cup of coffee in America has a warning label on it for cryin’ out loud!
The problem is that any dumb cracker can go out and get a powerful and sensitive animal and treat it however he likes. The reason these powerful breeds get the bad reputation is this: They are dangerous animals if treated poorly or placed in the wrong situation. If I mistreat or poorly raise a Chihuahua and it bites someone, they need a band-aid. Then we laugh and say’”feisty one isn’t he?” If my Amstaff or my Great Dane bites you, you are going to the Emergency Room and I will be sued. Both situations are the fault of my poor parenting, but one causes more of a problem than the other.
I don’t think people should have to have a license to own a dog, but the information and training should be free and readily available to any owner, so there is no excuse to own an unbalanced animal.
Sara
July 20th, 2008 at 9:55 am
6Having a license to own a dog? Jesus, what’s next… You people need to stop being so emotional and go back to read some Orwell.
Don’t you think it is a BAD thing that we have to have every little part of our lives under scrutiny. No-one is perfect. It’s like living with a Jewish Mother hanging over your every move. Have you ever walked across the street without a crosswalk? You CRIMINAL!!
What you seem to be missing is the fact that there ARE bad dogs. Not bad BREEDS. They are created by bad BREEDERS. If you are going to license something and regulate something then it’s the breeders you need to look at. But if you expect the cops to go after every bad breeder you are nuts. The only thing you can really do is public education. Teach people how to choose a breeder and how to choose a dog.
How many times have you seen some dope go for a dog because it came up to them or because of how it looked as a pup. Duh… NOT the way to choose a pup. Or they don’t care as long as the price is right.
What we need to ban is STUPID PEOPLE.
On the other hand everything is getting so ridiculous. You can’t even become a breeder without spending a fortune on x-rays and genetic tests and expensive lines of dogs…in the end we will screw ourselves out of lots of great dogs and only the rich will be able to afford one.
I shouldn’t even have to license my dog! So long as I take care of my dog why does the city or county get to take my hard earned money? It’s not like we have a dog park or anything remotely dog friendly. More fees. We’ll be fee’d to death pretty soon!
So you want a goldfish? You have to get a fish license.
You want to buy a TV? Can’t unless you take a course on safe TV watching and pay a fee.
Want to ride a bike? Wear a helmet and pay a fee for a bike license.
Jesus! Cut it out already before I have to move into a cave in the woods just to be able to have some freedom!!
Land of the FREE?? Home of the Brave? HAHAHAHAHA!!!!
More like land of the FEE’s and home of the Yellow Bellied Sap Suckers who give up their cash and freedom for a little “safety”. If we were all safe we would have no fun at all! Just think about how fun life would be with mom saying did you wash first? Don’t eat that sushi it might give you worms! Don’t do this…don’t do that.
Screw this! You people want to put MORE chains on us all? I seriously want to puke.
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