Labour demands crack-down on dangerous dogs

Steve Reed MP is demanding tougher laws to tackle the menace of dangerous dogs and irresponsible dog owners.  In his new role as Labour’s crime spokesman, Steve led a debate in Parliament calling on the Government to introduce powerful new Dog Control Notices that could force potentially dangerous dogs to be neutered, muzzled, kept on a lead and could also require out-of-control dogs and their owners to undergo training until their animal is brought back under control.

The Croydon North MP also called for tougher sentences against dog owners whose animals kill people.  Nine children and seven adults have died as a result of dog attacks over the past three years, and over 6,000 people a year end up in hospital as a result of serious attacks by dogs.  But the maximum sentence for owners is just two years in prison – far too low to act as a serious deterrent.  Before the debate Steve met with Michael Anderson whose daughter, Jade, was savaged to death by four dogs when she was just 14 years old.  Mr Anderson backs the call for Dog Control Notices.

Speaking after the debate, Steve Reed said: “It’s time the Government got tough on irresponsible owners who let their dogs run out of control.  Labour’s call for tough new Dog Control Notices is backed by police chiefs, the RSPCA and even Battersea Dogs Home.  They already exist in Scotland where they’ve been a huge success.  It beggars belief that, against all the evidence, the Tories and Lib Dems in Parliament are refusing to take the action necessary to keep people safe.”

Steve also appeared on the BBC Daily Politics Show talking about this issue.  You can watch the programme here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03dx8wz/Daily_Politics_15_10_2013/