Plans to curb dangerous dogs

Statistics show that almost a third of Brits have been bitten by an out of control dog at some point.

Now the Government plans to tackle the number of dog attacks in the UK.

It comes at a time when an out of control husky dog was involved in a savage attack on a pony at a Pett Farm this week and a 27 year old Hastings woman was treated for two large wounds to her arm after being attacked by a dog.

The Government had been accused of “dragging its feet” over cracking down on dangerous dogs ahead of an expected announcement this week of action to tackle the problem.

Under the plans millions of dog owners will have to pay for their pets to be fitted with a microchip and ministers are expected to say that every newborn puppy should be fitted with a device giving details of who it belongs to.

An announcement is also expected on closing a loophole in the law so that dog owners will face prosecution if their pet attacks someone in their home.

The postal workers’ union said action is “long overdue”, pointing out that more than 10,000 people have signed an e-petition supporting changes to the law.

Billy Hayes, general secretary of the Communication Workers Union, said: “It’s about time the law bit back to protect innocent dog attack victims. Thousands of postal workers and telecom engineers - along with other workers who go on to private property and parents of small children - will sigh in relief at this announcement.

“We warmly welcome new laws and hope they will make the improvements desperately needed to the failed Dangerous Dogs Act.

“Government action is well overdue and unfortunately thousands of people have suffered debilitating injuries while the Government has dragged its feet.

“CWU has been calling for the law to apply on private property for years and we fully back compulsory microchipping to identify the owners of dogs and encourage more responsible dog ownership.”

Angela McGlynn, whose four-year-old son John-Paul Massey was killed by an illegal breed of dog, described the microchip plans as a “start” but repeated her call for laws which would see dogs muzzled around children. She told she told BBC Breakfast: “You can get muzzles that allow the dog to eat and drink so that it is not restricting the dog, it is just restricting it from being able to bite.”

Research shows that the breed most likely to attack people are Alsatians, followed by Jack Russells and Yorkshire Terriers.

The most common place to be attacked and injured by a dog is in the street.