The Welsh Government is looking for feedback to its Control of Dogs Bill. Do you think a dog is in the wrong if it bites a burglar? Should the law persecute a dog in such a situation? If you have a strong opinion on the subject do feedback - you have until the 1st March 2013.
Here's the info from the Welsh Government website:
This consultation gives details on our proposals to introduce legislation on out of control dogs.
Start of consultation: 23/11/2012
End of consultation: 01/03/2013
The Welsh Government wants to improve dog welfare by promoting responsible ownership to prevent dogs from becoming out of control. As part of our Road Map on Dog Welfare, we want to identify dogs before they become out of control.
This consultation is asking for views on the content of a Bill which aims to:
Address the issues of out of control dogs;
Introduce a new enforcement mechanism; and
Lead to more responsible dog ownership
To do this we are proposing to develop new legislation by:
Making changes to the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 to make it an an offence for a dog to be dangerously out of control anywhere in Wales including private property. The existing law only applies to public property and private places where the dog is not allowed to be. We also propose to amend this Act to make it an offence for a dog to attack certain other animals;
To encourage more responsible dog ownership through training, and issuing dog control notices (DCN’s) where appropriate
Children and young people
We are keen to hear from children and young people and their views on this proposed new law. There is a children and young people’s version of the consultation document below.
The Kennel Club has issued a response to the proposed bill:
The Kennel Club greatly welcomes the intent of the Welsh Government’s proposed Control of Dogs (Wales) Bill and supports the main proposals regarding the extension of the law to cover all places. We consider the introduction of Dog Control Notices will be of great benefit in preventing the escalation of lower level dog aggression to more serious incidents.
The Kennel Club has had several very constructive meetings with Welsh officials prior to the development of the Draft Bill and has welcomed the opportunity to discuss points which we felt needed further development. There are some areas where we will look for further discussion, such as measures to ensure a dog is not unfairly sanctioned for justly defending its owner or their property where illegal trespass occurs. We have therefore sought to highlight these areas in advance of providing further input as part of the current consultation.
Going forward, the Kennel Club is pleased to be engaged with Welsh Government initiatives on areas such as education and training of dog owners. We are keen to continue our collaboration and look to help bring forward effective legislation that encourages responsible dog ownership.
You can submit your comments by 01 March 2013, in the following ways:
Email
companionanimalwelfare@wales.gsi.gov.uk
Post
Animal Welfare Team
Environment and Sustainable Development Department
Welsh Government
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ