Should we bring back the dog licence?

[angelandbump]

After another sad story of yet another child being killed by 'dangerous dogs' do you think it's time to bring back the dog licence?

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/dog-attack-tributes-paid-jade-anderson-045045213.html#UeiTDds

I know people with staffies and they are the nicest of dogs. I really do believe you don't get naturally dangerous dogs, just dangerous owners that lead to dangerous dogs.

Is there a way we can control this issue?

 

[Noelle610]

I love the idea of needing a license to own a dog. It's usually the fault of the owner (or a past owner) when the dog is super aggressive.

I've known very sweet and docile pit bulls and I've known aggressive and unpredictable golden retrievers.

 

[Bex84]

Same as pp. Owners make dogs aggressive, there needs to be something that means these horrible people can have dogs taken away

 

[special_kala]

Definitly.

I think every person who wants to own a dog should have to pay for a licence and every breeder should have a licence. Anyone without should be fined and the dogs neutured or taken away.

 

[Dragonfly]

You have to have one here ? you buy it from council or is that a different thing? I never had one for mine as the dog wasnt on the street, big piece of private land so you dont need one here if you are on your own land walking dog.

 

[angelandbump]

You have to have one here ? you buy it from council or is that a different thing? I never had one for mine as the dog wasnt on the street, big piece of private land so you dont need one here if you are on your own land walking dog.

I wish it was the same here. No licence at all unless it is a dog that is on a certain list.
You have restrictions for the amount of pets you can have in a council house (at my council you can only have two house hold pets).

I think all dogs should be tagged and it should relate to an owners licence. I'm sure this would reduce the amount of abandoned dogs in the UK. x

 

[Dragonfly]

They do free data tagging here sometimes, or reduced. And some so free neutering or reduced also. If you are on benefits you do get reductions no problem. You dont see dogs roaming around here though. There is a dog warden I know that. And pound for rspca which I cant go to at all, I went once and cried a river.

 

[xemmax]

I'm a bit clueless on the issue but how would you know who had a license and who didn't without introducing a routine 'stop and identify' for dog owners?

I agree that something should be done but I'm not sure how a dog license will help in practical terms, as I assume people will just keep dogs illegally (as many do anyway with banned dog breeds).

 

[special_kala]

I'm a bit clueless on the issue but how would you know who had a license and who didn't without introducing a routine 'stop and identify' for dog owners?

The community wardens could do that and if people reported dogs the police could check.

 

[special_kala]

Also councils should have dog wardens who could do the checks whilst their out

 

[Noelle610]

I'm a bit clueless on the issue but how would you know who had a license and who didn't without introducing a routine 'stop and identify' for dog owners?

The community wardens could do that and if people reported dogs the police could check.

I would also think they could make it illegal to purchase a dog without a license, right?

 

[xemmax]

I'm a bit clueless on the issue but how would you know who had a license and who didn't without introducing a routine 'stop and identify' for dog owners?

The community wardens could do that and if people reported dogs the police could check.

I would also think they could make it illegal to purchase a dog without a license, right?

I'm still not convinced it would really help though, people would still breed dogs illegally. I just can't see how it would be policed, even with dog wardens etc, especially in large estates where there is a particular disrespect of authority.

 

[Noelle610]

I'm a bit clueless on the issue but how would you know who had a license and who didn't without introducing a routine 'stop and identify' for dog owners?

The community wardens could do that and if people reported dogs the police could check.

I would also think they could make it illegal to purchase a dog without a license, right?

I'm still not convinced it would really help though, people would still breed dogs illegally. I just can't see how it would be policed, even with dog wardens etc, especially in large estates where there is a particular disrespect of authority.

Gotcha, you're probably right. We have a similar issue with a gun license in the US... The people who are going to break the law are typically those who won't bother with a license anyway. Not a totally appropriate comparisson, but I think you see what I mean.

 

[special_kala]

The owner of the dogs that killed that poor girl bred them and sold them on facebook, if she had required a licence and didnt have it someone could have reported her and the dogs could have been neutured or taken away.

The people who are going to own dogs and not train them properly are likely to disregard any law anyway which would mean that they would have them taken off them. Over time i think it would help deter people.

It would mean postmen who have been bitten by dogs could report them and if they are unlicenced then the owner is fined etc.

There are 2 dogs near me who are incredible aggressive. They live in the garden and if you walk past it sounds like they are tearing each other apart. The police have been a few times and taken them away but they obviously dont have any power to do anything at the minute.

 

[special_kala]

Its idealistic i know but something would be better then nothing.

Currently the stupid owner who had 4 large dogs in a small terraced house wont even be prosecuted because it was on private land

 

[Fergie]

As the very proud owner of a mixed staffy/ jr rescue mutt i honestly believe it's the owner and not the dog.

All breeders should be licenced, all dogs should be licenced and anyone found without should have the dog/dogs removed.

That poor wee girl. It should NEVER have happened and most likely wouldn't have if the owner had been more responsible. 4 big breed dogs like that in a wee council house is downright ridiculous. And to breed those dogs whom she knew were aggressive is sickening. I hope she gets everything that's coming to her for the sake of the girls family.

 

[lhancock90]

Yes,
Absolutely!

 

[Scottish mum]

Yes yes and yes! Licensing is a great way to ensure half the numpties on the planet can't get a dog as that's where the problem is!

 

[Piper84]

An owner is responsible for the way their dog behaves. I've come across dangerous, badly-trained labradors and completely docile Staffies. I still think the current list of banned dogs is appropriate.

I wonder why the government didn't try and enforce the dog licence properly instead of just abandoning it and bringing in the Dangerous Dogs Act. Surely both, properly enforced, would be more effective?

I also wonder why people are allowed to keep so many dogs in one property. It's a public health risk and not just because of the risk of attacks.

A dog licence should be necessary along with mandatory dog handling classes. This should be the case for breeders especially and I really think the morality of pedigree breeding should be looked into properly. With some breeds you have to put down half the litters that are born because they have such horrible defects.

 

[Scottish mum]

I'm all for it like I've mentioned it's a great idea. Along with the licence the dogs should be chipped!

It's not necessarily the breed of dog it tends to be how they are trained and looked after by the owners however there are certain dogs out there bred to fight and you need a licence to own them such as Japanese tosa and pit bulls but again if the dogs are trained and the right people have them! I think it's something we should have done a long time ago!