Your Dog and the Law
- Dog Identity Tag. It is the requirement of the Dogs Act
1906, that all dogs whist on the highway or public places wear a collar with
their owners name and address inscribed or attached to it.
- Barking Dogs. Legal action may be taken against the owner
of a noisy dog under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, Section 80.
- Dog Fouling. Indiscriminate dog fouling is unpleasant,
unhygienic, a health risk and antisocial. There is a byelaw in Leicester
which states: "No person being in charge of a dog shall allow it to foul the
footway of any street or public place by depositing excrement thereon" New
'poop-scoop' byelaws will shortly be introduced to cover dog fouling on
parks and open places. Train your dog to foul at home if he/she accidentally
fouls in a public place, clear it up.
- Accidents. If your dog causes an accident or injures
someone, the owner of the dog may be liable to pay compensation, eg~ a dog
straying out into the road and causing an accident.
- Insurance. It is strongly recommended that you obtain
third party insurance for your dog(s).
- Dangerous Dogs. Under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1990, it is
an offence to allow any dog to be dangerously out of control in a public
place. A dog is regarded as "dangerously out of control" under the act if
there are good grounds for suspecting that it will injure a person, whether
or not it actually does so. If no injury is caused, the maximum sentence is
a dine of £2,000 and/or 6 months imprisonment. Where actual injury is
caused, the maximum sentence is 2 years' imprisonment and/or an unlimited
fine. The Courts can also now specify particular forms of restriction, such
as muzzling or leashing, for all types of dog, as well as the power to
disqualify owners from having custody of a dog for any period of time felt
appropriate.
- For further information about your dog and the law-
contact your local authority Dog Warden.