Clueless Rishi Sunak admits he doesn't have plan to tackle deadly dog attacks

08 August 2023 , 07:21

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Rishi Sunak is refusing to take action to stop people losing their lives (Image: Getty Images)

Rishi Sunak has admitted the Government does not have a plan to tackle the scourge of killer dog attacks.

Ministers are under pressure to act after 17 people were mauled to death in the past two years alone. But the Tories are refusing to commit to strengthening the law to prevent more people getting killed. The Government also has rejected calls to ban American Bully XLs - the breed responsible for at least nine of the fatalities.

The Mirror is demanding more robust sanctions as part of its Time for Action on Dangerous Dogs campaign. We want a new Jack Lis Law to end the deadly attacks - named in honour of the 10-year-old killed by a dog. He suffered fatal injuries after being mauled by a 7st Bully XL named Beast as he played close to his home in Caerphilly, near Cardiff in November 2021.

The Bully XL is not banned even though it is closely related to the Pit Bull Terrier, which is an illegal breed (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Downing Street insisted there are already tough penalties available for irresponsible dog owners as it refused to set out firm plans to strengthen the law. The Prime Minister’s spokesman said: “We have a number of measures in place to protect people. That includes penalties under the Dangerous Dogs Act so you can be put in prison for a maximum of 14 years and disqualified from ownership if you let your dog out of control.”

Pushed on whether it has a plan to introduce any new measures, the spokesman said: “This is a serious issue, which is why we keep all measures under review. I don’t have anything to update at this current point. There are significant powers available both to the police and local authorities to take action.”

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The Mirror is calling for an urgent review of the law on dangerous dogs and tougher penalties, as well as proper enforcement of rules to stop the illegal and irresponsible breeding and selling of dogs. We also want the Government to launch a public information campaign to promote responsible dog ownership and the need for training.

Labour leader Keir Starmer has vowed a review of the Dangerous Dogs Act if he becomes PM.

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John Stevens