Posties grateful as Welsh Assembly takes stand on dangerous dogs
The Welsh Assembly has launched a draft Bill to deal with out-of-control dogs—to the delight of posties who have campaigned for this for years.
The draft Control of Dogs (Wales) Bill focuses “on the action and behaviour of a dog and not the breed”, according to accompanying consultation documents.
It extends the scope of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 to make it an offence for a dog to be dangerously out of control anywhere in Wales including private property; amends the 1991 Act to make it an offence for a dog to attack certain other animals; and provides for local authorities to serve Dog Control Notices as a preventive measure and encouraging more responsible dog ownership through training.
According to the Communication Workers Union, nearly 5,000 postal workers are attacked by dogs in the UK each year and 70% of these incidents take place on private property.
Peter Jones, president of the British Veterinary Association (BVA), says: “The Dangerous Dogs Act, which focuses on a dog’s breed, has failed and ultimately the BVA wants to see it repealed.”
Meanwhile, an independent inquiry into dog attacks on postal workers in the UK, commissioned by Royal Mail and led by High Court judge Sir Gordon Langley, has concluded the current law is “a mess” and recommended existing legal protections be extended to cover dangerous animals on private property.
