Life With Big
brother...........
UK to make implanted microchips compulsory for all dogs
* Alan Travis, home affairs editor
*
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 9 March 2010
All dogs are to be compulsorily microchipped so that their owners can
be more easily traced under a crackdown on dangerous dogs to be
unveiled today.
The package will include extending the dangerous dogs law to cover
attacks by dogs on private property to protect postmen, and making
third-party insurance compulsory so that victims can be financially
compensated.
The measures will be set out by the home secretary, Alan Johnson, who
will point to rising public concern that "status dogs" are being used
by some irresponsible owners to intimidate communities or as a weapon
by gangs.
The RSPCA says the number of complaints about dog fights has risen
12-fold between 2004 and 2008. In London alone, police seized 900
dangerous dogs in the last year.
Johnson is expected to give details of the package in a speech on crime
and antisocial behaviour.
"Britain is a nation of animal lovers, but people have a fundamental
right to feel safe on the streets and in their homes," he said.
"The vast majority of dog owners are responsible, but there is no doubt
that some people breed and keep dogs for the sole purpose of
intimidating others, in a sense using dogs as a weapon."
He said ministers were determined to stamp this out. The crackdown has
been endorsed by the environment secretary, Hilary Benn.
The package is expected to also include proposals to give police and
councils more powers to tackle the problems of dangerous dogs by
introducing dog control notices; consider removing exemption rules that
allow some people to keep banned types of dogs; and introduce
compulsory third-party insurance so victims of dog attacks are
financially compensated.
Under the scheme a microchip the size of a grain of rice is injected
under the skin of the dog between its shoulder blades. The chip
contains a unique code number, the dog's name, age, breed and health as
well as the owner's name, address and phone number. When the chip is
"read" by a handheld scanner the code number is revealed and the
details can be checked on a national database.
Many dog owners already microchip their dogs with the details logged on
the national PetLog database. Vets, dog wardens and RSPCA branches
offer the service at a cost of £10 to £35.
The practice appeals especially to those who take their dogs abroad. If
the scheme were made compulsory owners would face a fine for failing to
microchip their dogs. It is not known how the scheme will be phased in
but it is assumed a "puppies first" approach will be adopted.
Four types of dog are banned under the dangerous dogs legislation,
including pit bull terriers and Japanese tosas.
The ban means it is illegal to breed or keep one of these breeds unless
a court places the animal on the exempted dog index and it is neutered,
tattooed, microchipped, muzzled and kept on a lead in public.
Much of the legal framework stems from the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act,
which used to be held up as an example of the poor quality of
legislation passed by MPs in haste but has actually proved a resilient
and useful law over the past 19 years.
The Home Office said yesterday: "While this legislation is an essential
tool in tackling antisocial behaviour, the government wants to look at
it again to ensure it is working as it should and enables the police,
local authorities and the RSPCA to take swift action to protect the
public and stop abuse."
A Home Office grant of £20,000 is to be spent this year helping police
forces train dedicated dog legislation officers to deal with dangerous
dogs.
A leaked Whitehall discussion document on dog control legislation
suggested that competence tests for dog owners would also be included.
This sparked a storm of protest on the blogosphere among dog lovers and
does not appear to have been included in the final version.
Benn said: "There is a lot of public concern about dog attacks,
including the recent tragic deaths of young children, and about the
rise in the number of so-called 'status dogs' used to intimidate or
threaten people. This is a serious issue of public safety.
"The government wants to hear what people think about the law as it
stands and what more we might do to protect people from dangerous dogs."
Billy Hayes, general secretary of the CWU, which represents postal
workers, said: "This is a long-overdue, but extremely welcome step.
"We've been calling for changes to the law for several years now
following some terrible dog attacks on postal workers."