Dog Control Bill passes through the House of Lords

The House of Lords gave its full backing to a long awaited overhaul of the Dangerous Dogs Act today (Wednesday 26 October) as the Dog Control Bill successfully passed through all stages in the Lords.


Lord Redesdale’s Bill, which proposes to replace failed dangerous dog legislation with effective preventative regulation, including Dog Control Notices, and extending legislation to cover both public and private places, was supported by the Dangerous Dogs Act Study Group (DDASG).

DDASG represents animal welfare groups, local authorities and veterinary professional organisations which include Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, The Blue Cross, British Veterinary Association, Dogs Trust, the Kennel Club, Mayhew Animal Home, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, Wandsworth Borough Council and Wood Green Animal Shelters.

Wandsworth Dog Control Service Manager and DDASG Chairman, Mark Callis said: “Our members all know from personal experience that the aggressive, problematic dogs are always the ones which have been treated badly, neglected, or, in some of the worst cases, deliberately trained to intimidate others. This Bill would give us the powers we need to tackle the root cause of the country's dangerous dog issues - bad owners.”

The Commons will now continue the debate as the Bill moves on in its passage through the parliamentary process.

Following the success of the Third Reading of the Bill, Lord Redesdale commented: “I am delighted to have been part of this movement to push for the revision of existing dangerous dogs legislation. By introducing preventative measures, such as dog control orders, problem behaviour can be addressed before more serious incidents take place. This will go a long way towards protecting the public and ensuring responsible dog ownership for the benefit of all.“

Thanks to the Kennel Club UK for this article.