Plan to Tighten Dangerous Dog Law Abroad

Rick Patterson

Attorney

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The safety of people as it pertains to dog bites has long been a concern here in the U.S. and abroad. Recently, in Scotland, a new law to control dogs deemed to be dangerous has been in the Scottish Parliament.

Alex Neil, a member of the Scottish Labor Party (SLP) wants courts to impose "dog orders" for dangerous pets. The proposed "dog orders" would ensure dogs were micro-chipped and kept under strict conditions.
The "dog orders" would not be breed specific. Neil believes that the emphises should shift from "breed to deed." Many people are against the deed v. breed proposal given the propensity of some breeds for violence.

Currently, there is a Dangerous Dogs Act in place. However, Neil is not impressed with the loopholes in that particular Act. For example, just last month, a Rottweiler killed a baby boy in West Yorkshire. Yet, Rottweilers are not included in the Dangerous Dog Act. Of further concern is the fact that dog bites in Scotland have doubled in the past ten years. Neil is hopeful that switching the focus from breed to deed will take care of the current loopholes.