Kokova Magazine

The concerns of veterinary associations about dog welfare and control have been echoed by a cross-party committee of MPs, which has criticised the Government's inaction over these important issues.

Vets have welcomed the report, which calls for consolidated legislation and preventive measures to tackle dog control problems and further action to address the welfare issues of dog breeding.

But veterinary associations have warned that the committee's call for more types and breeds of dogs to be banned will do nothing to solve the problem of dangerous dogs.

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) and British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) provided written and oral evidence to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs select committee (EfraCom) based on scientific evidence and the experiences of veterinary surgeons in practice.

There has long been agreement amongst those working with dogs that a radical overhaul of the failed Dangerous Dogs Act is needed, and so we welcome this cross-party call for an urgent consolidation of dangerous dogs legislation and a move towards a more preventive approach. Whilst the Committee's report champions the principle of deed not breed we are concerned by the suggestion that the Secretary of State should be able to ban more breeds of types of dog. Breed specific legislation has failed in the UK. Adding more breeds will only criminalise more innocent dogs without educating the public about responsible ownership.

We are very pleased that the Committee has taken on board so much of our evidence. There is a strong call for a tightening up of breeding legislation and reducing the threshold for licensing to two litters per year and we hope Defra takes action on this recommendation soon. We also welcome the Committee's support for puppy contracts. The AWF/RSPCA puppy contract is supported by the major dog welfare organisations and we hope it will become the norm for everyone thinking of buying a puppy.

Peter Jones, BVA President

Many of the policies that BVA and BSAVA called for have been taken up by the committee in its final report, including: -

• Consolidation of legislation relating to dangerous dogs (recommendation 2)
• Microchipping of all dogs (rec. 4)
• Adequate resourcing for dog warden services (rec. 8)
• Introduction of Dog Control Notices as a preventive approach (rec. 14)
• Reduction in the threshold for licensing breeders to two litters per year (rec. 19)
• Publicity for the puppy contract to improve buying and selling of puppies (rec. 20)
• A voluntary code of practice for internet sale of dogs and puppies (rec. 21)
• Coordinated efforts to share and gather data on health problems in dogs (recs. 24 and 25)
• An annual independent review of breed standards led by members of the veterinary profession (rec. 27)
• Giving consideration to the Advisory Council on the Welfare Issues of Dog Breeding to be given a regulatory role (rec. 29)
• Amending legislation to place a duty on anyone breeding dogs to have regard for the health and welfare of offspring (rec. 30)

Any type of dog can be dangerous in the wrong hands and so it is time for the outdated approach of breed specific legislation to be replaced with preventive action, such as Dog Control Notices. We welcome the committee's call for legislation to be extended to cover dog attacks on assistance dogs but we still believe this should go further. Sadly the results of attacks by out of control dogs on other dogs and cats are seen too often in our surgeries and they should be afforded some protection under the law.

The call for an annual independent review of breed standards is very welcome and the veterinary profession is keen to take a lead on this issue to ensure pedigree dogs in the show ring are the most healthy examples of the breed. By focusing on fitness and function of the show dogs we hope to improve all pedigree dogs’ potential for a long and healthy life. There is also strong support for data gathering, which the veterinary profession is already playing a key role in. Data from insurance companies will be invaluable in furthering our understanding of dog health.

Mark Johnston, BSAVA President

Information about the Dog Control and Welfare Inquiry is available on the EfraCom website

Read the joint BVA-BSAVA Response to the EFRA Committee Inquiry on Dog Control and Dog Welfare.

Vets support moves to improve dog breeding in Northern Ireland

New legislation to regulate all commercial dog breeders was agreed in the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday (18th February 2013).

Welcoming the announcement, BVA President Peter Jones said:

We fully support initiatives to clamp down on unscrupulous breeders and allow good breeders to demonstrate their own value to the puppy-buying public, so we are particularly pleased to learn these regulations have been approved. All too often veterinary surgeons are faced with a client holding a new puppy with health, welfare or behaviour problems, by which time it's too late.

As vets we also have a role to play in helping the puppy-buying public to understand how to select a happy, healthy puppy from a good breeder. This new legislation provides a timely opportunity to urge both buyers and sellers to follow the guidelines and advice set out in the AWF/RSPCA Puppy Contract and Puppy Information Pack.

Together with colleagues in the welfare and rehoming charities the veterinary profession has been lobbying for better legislation on dog breeding.

Sandra Dunbar, President of the recently inaugurated BVA Northern Ireland branch, commented:

We are delighted to see such a high level of political commitment to canine issues in Northern Ireland and while we would like to have seen the regulations to go further in some areas, particularly on the issue of health testing, we strongly welcome the new legislation. Sadly, vets have to deal with the devastating consequences of poor breeding practices on a daily basis. The way in which a puppy is bred and how it is treated and socialised during the first weeks of its life has a huge impact on its health and temperament - so all measures that seek to improve the way in which puppies are bred and sold are vitally important.