Dogs to be microchipped and insured
Filed under: Insurance
Environment Secretary Hilary Benn and Home Secretary Alan Johnson joined forces yesterday to launch changes to the Dangerous Dogs act that will require all dog owners to have insurance. All dogs will have to be micro-chipped for identity purposes.About time too. I have never met a dog owner who claimed to be anything other than responsible. They all claim their dog is never any trouble. They always clean up after their dog. And so on. Dog owners are like bad drivers. I hope those without insurance are crushed and disposed of like uninsured cars.
The consultation proposes:
- Extending dangerous dogs laws to cover all places including private property
- Giving police and councils more powers to tackle the problem of dangerous dogs by the introduction of Dog Control Notices
- Considering removing exemption rules that allow some people to keep banned types of dogs or if exemptions are to remain ensuring that the system works more effectively
- Introduction of compulsory microchipping for dogs so that dog owners can be more easily traced
- Introduction of compulsory third party insurance so that victims of dog attacks are financially recompensed.
The Home Office is also giving an extra £20,000 to the Association of Police Officers (ACPO) this year to help police forces train dedicated dog legislation officers and better equip the police to deal with dangerous dogs. This matches the funding Defra gave ACPO last year.
More, better trained, dog police can only be a good thing. And the added cost of insurance and microchipping might just prevent a few of the worst dog owners form having a pet at all.
Links (new windows)
Defra announcementDangerous Dogs
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-10-2010 @ 8:08AM
Bob said...
You do not live in the real world mate. It is the responsible owners of dogs that have there pets chipped. The insurance issue or chipping will not stop a dog biting someone. Those that keep fighting type dogs will still have them regardless of with laws are passed. £2k is going nowhere towards dealing with the issue. Police just ignore the powers they have now to deal with certain types of dog or problems. Education is what is needed. Not passing more laws. I take it you like the labour party that has passed a law for every day in power?
Despite what you think there are many dog owners that do clean up after the dog when it fouls the footpath - I have a St Bernard and that is no joke.. no pooch bags, it takes a carrier bag. But I do clean up. My dog is on a lead as are the dozen I see each day when I go out. A few idiots mean everyone will suffer. The postman will still be a target of dogs. Those poor people that have had there dog kill a family member never set out with that in mind. Taking your views you would have every person involved in an accident banged up and there car crushed. I am sure you do not have a dog as you would not have this one sided view.
You can pass whatever law you want ... a new law will not stop the problem. What police are going to enforce it? They cannot enforce many of the normal day to day matters like cars parking on the pavement. I just think you need to think more before you spout off. No one wants anyone hurt by a dog. But sensible comment is one thing, but your rubbish does not help.
Reply
3-11-2010 @ 1:39PM
deb said...
well done bob, i have a lovely bedlington terrier and her 2 pups, while i have been sencible and got them chiped just incase they ever do get lost or something then hopefully then will be returned because of there chiping but to say that they should be insured is crap. The reason being is that i had a quote for just under 21.00 pounds for all 3 of them a mounth which is 252.00 a year, what if i pay this every year for the next 5 to 10 years an nothing ever happens look how much i have spent over that time for nothing. Im not saying its a bad thing but it should be up to the owner or the indervidual, and if your dog bites then it should be put to sleep, but chipping them should be done, at the end of the day why dont they do what some states in america have done and baned certain breeds from being kept if the still breed or own them then they get taken from them and humainly uthenised. Haveing said that we must remember it is not i repet not the dogs fault it is the owners for how they bring them up an what they are trained for just like children really and who gets the slap on the wrist there the child when it should allso be the parents for not bringing them up more responible just like the dog owner