I am pleased that the last Government introduced a number of measures to combat irresponsible dog ownership and improve welfare. Tackling dangerous and out of control dogs is an important part of these measures and the Government decided to toughen up the existing law.
Ministers agree with advice from the police that the ban on the Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentina and Fila Braziliero should remain in place to protect the public and help deal with potentially dangerous dogs. Therefore the ban on owning or selling some types of dogs bred for fighting remains for public safety reasons.
However, any dog can become dangerous and owners must ultimately be responsible for the behaviour of their dogs. The Government's approach is therefore one of focusing on both the deed and the breed.
