BVA: New dog control laws do not go far enough

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has stated that the government has not gone far enough with its recent changes to what it believes are "ineffective" dog control laws.

Changes to the Dangerous Dogs Act (1991) came into effect this month, extending the law to cover incidents on private property, increase maximum sentences for those convicted of dog control offences and offer legal protection to assistance dogs.

However, the BVA is calling for a more complete overhaul of the legislation, which believes unnecessarily stigmatises certain species of dog due to a focus on breeds, rather than behaviour.

It also wishes to see the remit of the law extended to cover attacks on other animals, as these can often be highly distressing and can be a precursor to attacks on people.

BVA president Robin Hargreaves said: "This was a missed opportunity and we will continue to campaign for further overhaul of the legislation."

This comes after the organisation last month called on dog owners to support a new campaign to keep their animals on leads when going near livestock.