Dispatches from the North: Owning a Dog in Britain
Banned BreedsThere are four breeds of dogs that are illegal to own and breed in the UK. These breeds were banned through the Dangerous Dogs Act of 1991 and include the Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa and Dogo Argentino and Fila Braziliero (aka Argentinian and Brazilian Mastiffs). These are dogs associated with being bred for dog fighting. I am of the school of thought that there are no dangerous dog breeds, only dangerous and irresponsible dog owners, but I will save that argument for another day. These breeds have a deep stigma in the UK which is reflected by legislation so they are not allowed here.
Identifying Your DogSadly the UK government hasn’t done much to ensure dogs are properly identified. Dog owners are legally required to indentify their dogs through ID tags on their collars, although this law is loosely enforced. Dog charities like Dogs Trust are working hard to encourage new legislation to make microchipping compulsory for dogs, an action that I fully support to reduce the number of abandoned dogs and hold dog owners accountable for their pets. Dogs can be microchipped at a vet’s office for around £20-30 and discounted microchipping is available at all Dogs Trust rehoming centres in the UK and also many local councils sponsor reduced cost microchipping events to encourage the public to take this extra step in being responsible for their pets.
