Owners of the breeds specially controlled by the above Act must carry a certificate of exemption allowing them to keep their dogs.
The breeds named are:-
- Pit Bull Terrier and Pit Bull Terrier types
- Japanese Tosa
- Dogo Angentino
- Fila Braziliero
All owners of the above breeds must have registered at their local police station and the following procedures should have been carried out:-
The dog must be
- Microchipped
- Tattooed on the inner thigh
- Covered by third party insurance
- Neutered
In addition to this, all the dogs must be muzzled and on a lead when in a public place and kept in the charge of a person over the age of 16.
Any person not carrying a Certificate of Exemption is liable to have their dog seized by a Police Officer or the Council's dog warden. A court case may then follow to establish whether the person is in possession of an unregistered dog. If this is found to be the case, the court will likely order the dog to be destroyed and sentence the owner to six months in prison and/or a fine not exceeding, £2,000.
Other breeds also behaving dangerously
The Act applies to other breeds also. It is an offence to allow any dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place, or a private place where it is not permitted to be, even if it does not cause an injury. The penalty if a dog does not cause injury is up to six months in prison and/or a fine not exceeding, £2,000. If a dog does cause injury and the case is proven in court, the dog will be destroyed, with maximum penalties for the owner of two years in prison and/or an unlimited fine.
All dogs should therefore be kept under control, and kept on a lead when in a public place. Keep our streets, parks and recreation areas a pleasure to visit for dog owners and non dog owners alike.
