Overview

This webinar gives an overview of the Dangerous Dogs Act (1991) including why it was created, what it covers, why it isn’t working and how it affects us in practice.

It also contains case studies that highlight dogs that have lost their life purely due to their looks despite their good nature as well as discussing the fact that dog bite incidents are increasing.

Understanding the law

The Dangerous Dogs Act (1991) was launched with the intention of protecting people from injury or fear of injury by dogs. The act specifies that it is illegal to own the following breeds:

•   Fila Brasilliero

•   Dogo Argentino

•   Japanese Tosa

•   Pit Bull Terrier

These breeds were chosen because they are perceived to be bred for fighting and thus, the law deems them to be aggressive purely based on their breed and a danger to humans. This breed specific legislation (BSL) means that dogs can be seized purely based on their looks alone and they do not have to have committed an offence neither do they have to be a pure-bred dog.

The act was amended to allow a register of exempt dogs. The dogs on this register have to be muzzled at all times when outside of the home, cannot be walked by anyone under the age of 16, cannot be sold/exchanged or rehomed and the owner cannot leave the country for more than 30 days per year. They also need to have third party liability insurance and a range of other restrictions. Many of these restrictions result in a lower standard of welfare for the dog and can increase the negative perceptions the public have regarding these animals.

Seizure

Process of seizure can be very frightening and damaging for both the owners and the dog. Once in kennels, the dog may remain there for months or years in a barren, concrete enclosure and the owner will not have any access to visit (even if the pet is due to be euthanised). They will be assessed to see if they are considered to be ‘of type’. The number of characteristics that need to be assessed are not defined so this makes it even more difficult to interpret and often the assessors have not received adequate training to undertake this task. It is important to note that DNA results are not submissible as evidence in court proceedings.

All seized dogs are kept in solitary confinement even if two dogs are seized from the same family. The RSPCA have put together a set of guidelines for seized dogs but there are no official rulings to say these guidelines have to be followed. Often owners are not even aware that their dog may have traces of a banned breed in its genetic make-up and they also usually do not realise that it is a criminal offence to own these types of dogs. Most of the seized dogs end up being euthanised. If they do get released back to the owner, often these dogs are in poor condition with muscle loss and sometimes other physical and mental health problems as a result of the ordeal.

How this affects the veterinary profession

This legislation is directly at odds with those working within the veterinary profession who took an oath to alleviate pain and suffering in animals. Killing healthy animals is hugely stressful for the people having to undertake this task on a regular basis and this leads to poor human welfare too. As veterinary professionals we need to avoid labelling ALL dogs. Their breed alone does not determine their behaviour with certainty and we need to understand this so we can help educate the owners too that all dogs are individual. We also need extra training to understand dog behaviour better and avoid labelling the pet as being aggressive when maybe it is actually fearful instead. We need to ensure we are taking good histories and completing thorough clinical notes for all dogs but especially those that are potentially one of the banned breeds. All veterinary professionals do have the right to refuse taking part in a healthy euthanasia (unless there are clear welfare implications). Having a standard protocol in place before the difficult situation arises would be recommended.

The future

We can tackle dog bite prevention by raising awareness, education and prevention. We can be providing this information to owners of all new puppies as well as at every stage of their life and the canine ladder of aggression is a great tool to use. We can also support campaigns that highlight the shortcomings in this law and contact our local MPs to help give all dogs the chance to lead a normal, healthy life.

Take home messages

1.   BSL has resulted in dogs being seized and destroyed based purely on how they look

2.   All dogs are potentially dangerous, so it is vital to understand their behaviour

3.   The Dangerous Dogs Act (1991) is not effective at reducing dog bite incidents

4.   Ensure your practice has protocols in place to deal with difficult situations

5.   Offer staff training in understanding dog behaviour

Reflection

As a result of this webinar, I will recommend that my team under go extra behaviour training and aim to implement more fear free handling methods for all dogs. I will also ensure there is plenty of factual information available for all staff to give to all owners regarding keeping themselves and their dogs safe.

Author

Jo Hinde RVN

Jo has worked in the veterinary industry since 2007 and has always had a special interest in rabbits. She started her own company LagoLearn, that provides rabbit specific CPD to veterinary professionals in both the UK and internationally She also spends a significant amount of voluntary time working with charities and parliamentary groups to highlight animal welfare and is proud to be a council member and officer of the British Veterinary Nurse Association.

Jo attends many events, gives lectures and writes articles for the veterinary industry as well as the general public and schools. She has received several awards over the years including the Blue Cross Veterinary Nurse of the Year in 2014, an RCVS Innovation Award winner in 2017 and the IFAW Animal Advocate Award in 2017.

Veterinary Nursing Journal • VOL 33 • December 2018