Dangerous Dogs Campaign Update Issued By CWU

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) released a public consultation on 9 March 2010 to establish if the current dangerous dog legislation adequately protects the public, to consider proposals for changes to dog control legislation and how to encourage responsible dog ownership.

Dave Joyce, CWU's National Health, Safety & Environment Officer has written to all branches updating them on the CWU's Biute Back campaign and detailing the CWU formal response to the previous Government's consultation document.

In letter to branches, LTB586/10, Dave brings us up to date:

".........there has been a change of government and the Health, Safety and Environment Department is continuing efforts via a number of channels to ensure the present government carries forward plans to significanmtly amend the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 and other associatyed legislation.

100,000 CWU members - including 70,000 Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide delivery workers and 30,000 BT Engineers are vulnerable and are exposed to the risk of Dog Attacks on a daily basis. Whilst at work 5000 - 6000 Postal workers and 300 - 400 BT workers are attacked by dogs every year.

The Law on dangerous Dogs as it currently stands and its enforcement by the Police, Dog Wardens and the Courts has proved to be totally ineffective in protecting CWU members as dog attack numbers have risen and injuries have worsened. Two Postmen (in Sheffield at Christmas 2007 and in Cambridge at Christmas 2008) were nearly killed in dog attacks and thousands of others have suffered horrific physical and psychological injuries.

The CWU welcomes the Government's proposals to tackle the issue of Dangerous Dogs by changing the Dangerous Dogs Law in England and Wales and so follow the Law changes being introduced in Scotland and Northern Ireland."

Dave continues:

"It has been apparent for many years that the existing Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 doesn’t work effectively in controlling dangerous dogs and dealing with irresponsible owners and leaves many victims with no remedy in criminal law. The law urgently needs revising to help protect the general public, workers and children as well as dog welfare. The CWU has been lobbying the UK Governments of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland for these changes through our “Bite-Back” Campaign, launched after the Sheffield attack.

The CWU welcomed the Defra proposal to run a Public Consultation as the first stage of the process and welcomes the opportunity to provide a response to the public consultation on dangerous dogs."

Urging a change to existing legilsation, Dave points out:

"The CWU believes that changes to the current legislation are necessary and long overdue. The changes should enable all enforcement agencies to target the worst offenders and the most aggressive dogs. It is important to bear in mind that the vast majority of dog owners are law abiding and they should not be affected by a tightening of the Law. 

With an estimated 10 million dogs in the UK there is an absolute and urgent need for effective dangerous dogs legislation to replace the current laws which are both complex, ineffective, outdated, unworkable and fail to deal with bad owners."

In a comment aimed at dog owners, Dave reminds them:

"The key message is that any dog can show aggression, particularly if it is not owned responsibly plus handled and trained properly. Therefore legislation that provides the tools to target irresponsible, careless and reckless ownership both before an animal becomes a serious problem with new preventative measures as well as after an attack are very welcome.

The legislation needs to modernise the existing "piecemeal" rules and regulations on dogs and therefore this is a very worthwhile and necessary initiative. The proposals would give local authorities and the Police the legislative tools to deal with the growing problem of out-of-control dogs and for the first time attacks by dangerous dogs in private places would become a criminal offence."

Reflecting upon action being taken eslewherfe in the UK, Dave says,
 
"The CWU is obviously delighted that the Scottish Parliament has already passed a new law earlier this year. The Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act which is due to come in to force in February 2011.

The CWU is also delighted that the Northern Ireland Assembly have introduced a new bill, the Dogs (Amendment) Bill which should also soon become an Act, later this year and come into force in mid 2011."

It is clear from the LTB, that the Union beleives that England and Wales are well behind what is being done elsewhere, and that urgent action is required:

"The CWU is calling on the Government to urgently push ahead with the introduction of new Dangerous Dogs Legislation for England and Wales, following the currently unacceptable number of dog attacks of Postal Workers, totalling around 6000 every year, where the Police are unable to prosecute in 70% of them under the current Dangerous Dogs Act because of the serious limitations of the Act which does not apply on private property.

The existing Laws are ineffective and do not deal with the growing dangerous dogs problem of a significant number of aggressive dogs and irresponsible owners who need to be dealt with. The lack of protection for Postal Workers against attacks on private property where a dog is permitted to be is a "gaping hole" in the Dangerous Dogs Act."

The LTB in full can be downloaded here

CWU response to the consultation exercise can be downloaded from the E-Library Database

Source: CWU LTB586/10

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