3:10pm Wednesday 10th March 2010
By Sarah Calkin
DOG lovers across south Essex have welcomed proposals to beef up the law on dangerous animals.
Under proposed changes to the Dangerous Dogs Act, all dog owners could be forced to insure their pets against injuring other dogs.
Owners could also be compelled to microchip their pets and dangerous dog owners whose pets misbehave could be issued with Dog Control Notices.
Nicknamed “Dogbos”, the orders would give police and council officials the power to force negligent owners to muzzle or even neuter their dogs.
Anna Thrippleton’s labrador Willow was attacked by an Alaskan malamute, a larger cousin of the husky, in January while walking near her home in the Southchurch area of Southend.
She said: “Muzzling these dogs is essential. It protects the owner of the dog that could attack as well as everybody else. It’s such a simple thing to do and it doesn’t harm the dog.
“People have these dangerous dogs as a status symbol and spoil it for the rest of us.”
Mrs Thrippleton, 38, already microchips her pet and has insurance which covers her if Willow were to cause injury.
Richard Potts, 30, of High Road, Benfleet, whose cocker spaniel Trevor was attacked by a Staffordshire bull terrier in Richmond Park, Benfleet, said: “Any dog can turn. It depends how the dog is treated. I don’t think any honest dog owner would have a problem with insurance.”
But Michael Knight, manager of Gemini Kennels in Wickford, thought there could be problems with the plans. He said: “Police have already passed the responsibility for stray dogs to local authorities and the people who own dangerous dogs are unlikely to get insurance. It could push the problem underground.”
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