'Asbos' to curb 'canine thugs'

NEW laws requiring dog owners to properly train and control their dogs, and be responsible for any dangerous behaviour, are due to come into force next spring, after Scottish National Party MSP Christine Grahame introduced a private members' bill to amend the Dangerous Dogs Act.

The so-called "dog asbos" will close a loophole where, if a child was attacked by a dog in its home, the owner could not be held legally responsible unless the animal was classified as a dangerous breed.

Ms Grahame said yesterday the act aimed to allow the authorities to intervene earlier in events when a dog was "out of control".

She said: "When a dog is out of control in the sense that it has put somebody in a state of alarm, they would be in a position to report this to the council and they would then make inquiry.

"If they found something was required to be done then, depending on the level of behaviour, (the dog] would have to be kept on a leash, muzzled or have to attend training classes."