20
Aug
2013
By Calvin at 09:14 GMT, 12 years ago
The government is currently seeking your views on whether they should amend the maximum sentence for an aggravated offence under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 i.e. where someone allows a dog to be dangerously out of control and the dog injures or kills a person or an assistance dog.
This follows a stream of dog attack incidents, including the tragic deaths of 14 year-old Jade Anderson who was attacked when visiting her friend’s house in March this year and 79 year-old Clifford Clarke who was attacked in his own garden in May. A search of the internet for ‘Dog attacks UK’ certainly highlights the extent of the problem.
Amendments to the Act are before Parliament at the moment as part of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill (clauses 98 and 99). The Government undertook to take soundings, before the next Parliamentary stage of the Bill, on a change to the maximum sentence which currently stands at a maximum of 2 years imprisonment, an unlimited fine or both.
If you would like to have your say and take part in the survey, which applies to England and Wales only please visit this Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) website page.
The survey is a simple tick box format with an opportunity to add further comment at the end. The survey ends on 1st September 2013
DEFRA https://consult.defra.gov.uk/animal-health-and-welfare/dda_dog-attacks_sentences_survey
