07 May 2023 , 12:03
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When you take on a dog, you also take on a set of responsibilities, something not every new owner may be aware of.
Many of these responsibilities are governed by law and if these laws are broken you could end up paying a fine or even face community service or a custodial sentence.
There are laws on barking, identification, fouling, breeding, travelling in vehicles, keeping your dog on a lead and keeping it under control generally.
They've been put in place to keep animals safe and happy, as well as to protect both owners and members of the public from harm.
In 2022 there were nearly 22,000 cases of out-of-control dogs causing injury across England and Wales. Four years earlier, there were just over 16,000.
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If you don't follow the rules you could be fined or even jailed (Getty Images/iStockphoto)As well as a potential prison sentence, a serious dangerous dog incident can lead to the animal being destroyed.
As reported by Birmingham Live, here are the dog laws everyone should know - not just owners but also general members of the public who will encounter dogs at various points in their everyday lives.
Microchipping
The 2015 regulations for the microchipping of dogs impose strict rules so that pets can easily be identified if lost, stolen, found, or given or sold to a new owner. All dogs over the age of eight weeks must have a microchip fitted and the owner's details registered and kept up to date.
You could be fined £500 for not having your dog microchipped or failing to keep the database updated with changes such as a new address. If your dog is rehomed, the new owners must add their details. There are exemptions to microchipping if a vet believes there are valid reasons not to carry out the procedure.
It's against the law not to clean up dog mess in public (Getty Images/iStockphoto)Fouling
It is against the law not to clean up after your dog in a public place. Similar rules can apply even if it's on your own property - a man was recently prosecuted for failing to comply with a council's Community Protection Notice over the smell and health risk of dog poo littering his back garden.
Blue Cross Vets says canine faeces can contain parasites that cause blindness in people as well as pregnancy loss in cattle. Owners can be issued with a fixed penalty notice of up to £100 or a fine of £1000 if prosecuted for not complying with regulations.
The Highway Code states dogs should not be let out on a road on their own (Getty Images/Westend61)Dog leads
The Highway Code states that dogs should not be let out on a road on their own and should be kept on a short lead when walking on the pavement or road or on a path shared with cyclists or horse riders. Councils can also make additional orders for dogs to be kept on a lead along 'designated' routes where signs will be installed to tell people they need to do so.
Many councils have also imposed Public Spaces Protection Orders that mean dogs must be kept on a lead in places such as children's play areas, parks, beaches and sports pitches.
Dogs should wear a collar with the owner's name and address on it (Getty Images)Collars
As well as a microchip, dogs must wear a collar with the owner's name and address on it (or on a tag attached to it) when in a public place. Under the Control of Dogs Order 1992, owners can be fined up to £2,000 for not doing this.
Barking
Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, barking can be classed as a statutory nuisance. The council can ask people to stop their dogs from annoying neighbours with persistent barking and, if it continues, they can even take the dog away.
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Barking can be classed as a statutory nuisance (Getty Images/iStockphoto)Control
Allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control "in any place" is against the law, whether in public or in your own home or garden. However, a dog's owner or keeper would not be guilty of this if "the person in relation to whom the dog is dangerously out of control is in, or is entering, the building or part as a trespasser" - so if it bites a burglar or attacker who has no right to be in your home, this law doesn't apply.
Blue Cross Vets points out a dog doesn't have to bite or physically injure someone for it to be considered out of control - it could still be an offence if someone simply fears your dog could hurt them because of its behaviour.
Make sure your pet is always under control (Getty Images/Westend61)Welfare/cruelty
Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, dog owners can be prosecuted if they don't look after their pets and could face a fine of up to £20,000 or a prison sentence of up to 12 months, as well as a ban on keeping animals. The Act says pets have the legal right to be properly housed, given the right food and protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.
Docking a dog's tail (except for medical reasons or in certain breeds) or cropping its ears is also illegal.
Travel
The Highway Code says that when in a vehicle, people must make sure dogs (or other animals) are "suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves, if you stop quickly". A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are recommended as ways of restraining animals in cars.