Letter: Time to get tough on dangerous dogs

Yet again a child is savaged by "pets" (your report, 31 August), despite the long-overdue strengthening (in Scotland) of the previous Dangerous Dogs Act. Yet again crocodile tears will be shed that "they're only pets, they've never done that before".

Yet again politicians will allow more of these dangerous breeds and cross-breeds to be used by society's inadequates as threats and lethal weapons.

Yet again will other owners and apologists deny that certain breeds are innately dangerous ("there are only dangerous owners") despite knowing full well that some, and not only large breeds, are capable of biting through bone. Recently, I was suddenly jumped at by a large, off-leash Alsatian, snarling and growling aggressively. Even if it had been leashed, the little old lady ostensibly in charge of it could not possibly have controlled it, and I dread to think what could have happened had I been a toddler or child.

As a minimum, the dog licence should be reintroduced at a sensible level; dogs should be ID'd, insured and many breeds always muzzled in public; existing laws must be fully enforced; and the UK's 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act (instead of being constantly derided as a knee-jerk reaction) strengthened even more than the Scottish legislation. The time for debate is over.

John Birkett

Horseleys Park

St Andrews

After the tragic death of Kelly Lynch in Dunoon in 1989 we asked the Home Office to introduce a far more robust version of the old dog licence.

We proposed a self-funding national scheme which would ensure dog owners knew the legal and moral responsibilities of good dog ownership, had proper training in dog handling and obtained at least third-party insurance to cover any injury or damage caused by their pet.

The scheme would also have outlawed puppy farming and bad breeding standards. Also, should Parliament have decided it necessary, it would have allowed for the humane elimination of any problem breeds by refusing to issue breeding licences.

Instead, after another child was killed in England, Westminster implemented the knee-jerk Dangerous Dogs Act which has proved to be worse than useless.

Our proposed scheme could still work today but it would have to be implemented at a national level and monitored and policed throughout the country.

While well intentioned, the new Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act relies on implementation by all 34 Scottish local authorities and, as their piecemeal approach to handling stray dogs shows, policing dog ownership is not a high priority for cash strapped local authorities.

John F Robins

Animal Concern Advice Line

Dumbarton