Owners are warned that their dog could be put down if they share characteristics with a banned breed.
There are currently four breeds of dogs banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. According to the legislation, these are Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasileiro.
The law means its illegal to own, sell, breed away or abandon one of these dogs. However, government guidance states that whether your dog is a banned type depend on its appearance rather than its breed or name.
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If your dog matches many of the characteristics of a Pit Bull Terrier, it may be a banned type. which means a dog could simply be put down should it look a certain way. - as The Daily Record reports.
However, there is a little-known exemption. A dog which looks like a banned breed is allowed to live, should it pass a court behavioural assessment and prove it can live happily and peacefully in the community.
New data has revealed an increase in children under the age of 15 having to attend hospital for dog-related injuries between April 2021 and March 2022. Up 7.5% to 1,516, this is the second highest figure since records began in 2007.
Becky Thwaites, head of public affairs at animal welfare charity Blue Cross urged the government to update the legislation. She said: "Many dogs that are seized as illegal breeds are in fact well-behaved dogs with responsible owners, who just have the misfortune to have the wrong measurements.
"Nearly as many dogs - not banned breeds - were seized under section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act as under section 1 last year for being dangerously out of control, highlighting how important it is for government to change the legislative focus from what a dog looks like to dealing with irresponsible owners of any breed of dog to keep our communities safe."
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