RSPCA says: Responsible dog ownership is right way to tackle ‘dangerous’ dogs

The RSPCA and Dogs Trust say their new Dog Ownership Guide, focusing on the behaviours which underpin responsible dog ownership, will help tackle dog control problems and reduce dog bites.

The charities - who have jointly launched the Dog Ownership Guide - believe that if adopted and used effectively it could help improve relationships between dogs and owners and prevent situations from arising which can lead to bites, by helping owners understand how to provide their dog with a good life, keep them safe and secure, and become a good citizen.

The charities both say that the key current dog control legislation - the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, introduced on 12 August 35 years ago - is letting down people and dogs.

In fact, the number of incidents involving dog-related injuries and requiring hospital treatment has actually risen since the DDA has been in place, and typically continues to rise year-on-year.

Dr Samantha Gaines, RSPCA Dog Welfare Expert and Dog Control Lead, said: "The Dangerous Dogs Act was a poorly thought-out piece of legislation that has failed to achieve any of its objectives.

“It fails to effectively protect public safety and hasn’t reduced dog bites.

“It is a particularly controversial piece of legislation because it also prohibits the keeping of five specific types of dogs, based on their appearance, despite evidence showing that breed is not a good predictor of aggressive behaviour.

“It is deeply concerning that 35 years on, and with the wealth of knowledge we have around dog behaviour, dog control legislation is still failing to reduce the number of dog-related incidents. Ultimately, this approach is not working; and we need a new approach that puts responsible ownership at the heart of everything.”

Time for a new approach

The role of responsible dog ownership is well understood. Research commissioned by Defra in 2019 focused on methods to promote responsible dog ownership and reduce dog bites. Several recommendations came out from this research with a working group created to take forward the findings. Despite dog bites being a significant public health concern, the report is yet to be published.

Similarly, RSPCA research has also highlighted the critical role of responsible ownership and has been calling on the UK Government to shift and enhance their approach to dog control.

Experts are desperate to see a more holistic approach to dog control, focusing on better breeding, better education for children (on interacting with dogs safely) and for owners (on being responsible owners), as well as early intervention and better understanding of why dogs use aggression.

The Dog Ownership Guide aims to outline the behaviour associated with responsible dog ownership and how owners, enforcement agencies, vets, rescue charities, local authorities and wider communities can work together to improve dog ownership and reduce dog bites.

Ruairidh Nichols, Public Affairs Manager from Dogs Trust, said: “We believe that the Dog Ownership Guide helps owners to better understand what being responsible looks like and how the decisions they make can help shape their pet into a happy, healthy dog, while reducing the likelihood of problem behaviours developing.

“If this is implemented and used as part of a wider package of measures to improve breeding and ownership, then we could make a real change which will better protect public safety without compromising dog welfare.”

The Guide encourages owners to have a better and more consistent understanding of what it means to be a responsible owner. It focuses on five core pillars:

Good Life - Meet your dog's physical, emotional and behavioural needs so they can enjoy a happy, healthy and fulfilling life.
Safe and Secure - Protect your dog, other people and animals by preventing harm and making safe, responsible decisions every day.
Good Citizen - Be considerate and respectful in shared spaces, helping dogs and communities live happily alongside one another.
Lifetime Commitment - Recognise that owning a dog means continually learning, adapting and caring for them throughout every stage of their life.
Community - Seek and support trusted advice, services and environments that help dogs and their owners thrive together.

Dr Gaines added: “We believe that if dog owners follow this guide and prioritise giving their dogs a good life, making them feel safe and secure, helping them to integrate positively into society, committing to them for their whole lifetime, and seeking advice and support when necessary then we will begin to see the number of incidents involving dog bites fall as well as a reduction in dogs being seized by police or being relinquished to charities.”