The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) recently took part in the Defra (Department for Environment and Rural Affairs) consultation that asked, “Does current dangerous dogs legislation adequately protect the public and encourage responsible dog ownership?”.

As a result of the consultation, BSAVA has produced the following joint response with the British Veterinary Association (BVA) on behalf of our members.

I. The BVA and the BSAVA welcome the opportunity to comment on Defra’s Consultation on Dangerous Dogs.

II. The BVA is the national representative body for the veterinary profession in the United Kingdom and has over 12,000 members. Its primary aim is to protect and promote the interests of the veterinary profession in this country, and it therefore takes a keen interest in all issues affecting the veterinary profession, be they animal health, animal welfare, public health, regulatory issues or employment concerns.

III. The BSAVA is the largest specialist division of the BVA and of the veterinary profession. It represents approximately 6,500 members, the majority of whom are in general practice and have an interest in the health and welfare of small animals, namely dogs and cats.

IV. We recognise the complexity surrounding the issue of dangerous dogs. In the context of the recent tragic attacks on children and the increasing use of “status dogs” the BVA and BSAVA appreciate the challenge faced by the government in tackling this problem.

V. We view the problems presented by dangerous dogs as predominantly a social issue; aggression in dogs is part of normal behaviour, but the manner in which a dog behaves is largely the result of its rearing and training. As such, we do not feel that breed-specific legislation is effective and would support a move in legislation to a “deed not breed” principle.

VI. We welcome the intended revision of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 (DDA 1991) and believe that it is critical that careful consideration should be given to providing clear and effective legislation. Legislation will only be successful in addressing the current problems of aggressive and “status” dogs if there are also concurrent measures for effective enforcement.

VII. We have sought to respond to areas of the consultation in line with our areas of expertise, and as such we have not provided answers to all of the questions posed. The BSAVA scientific committee have made a significant contribution to the response and have also provided a report of published work in this field. The report is attached to this response at Appendix A. 

Download and read the full joint response document.