Reform of dog legislation considered

A report from the city’s Chief Environmental Health Officer states there were 58 reports of stray dogs and 26 reports of dog fouling.

Thirty-four dogs were impounded during October. Eight dogs were reclaimed, twenty-five sold or rehomed and 12 were humanely destroyed. Fixed Penalty Notices were served on 17 negligent dog-owners.

Meanwhile the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) are proposing changes to Dog Control Legislation and are asking Derry City Council for its views.

This includes a proposed amnesty for banned dogs, which Derry City Council’s Environmental Health Department are opposed to.

Proposals include compulsory microchipping, conditional dog licences, increased licence fees of 12.50 (exemptions for over 65s and reduced fees for neutered dogs).

DARD is also proposing to permit Councils to exempt dogs of a banned type from destruction through the courts (where they are satisfied that the dog’s behaviour gives no cause for concern) by using the licensing system to impose conditions on the dog and its owner.

Other proposals including raising fines for licensing and control offences from 200 to 1,000, setting Fixed Penalties at 50, making Councils collect Fixed Penalty payments directly, introducing two new offences of “Allowing a dog to attack another dog” and “setting a dog on another dog.”

Additionally a dog attack which causes an injury, wherever it happens, could to be treated as an aggravated offence which would attract a higher level of penalty in the future.

The Department held a consultation workshops with the local authority in The City Hotel on Monday and expects a reply by Monday, February 1, 2010.

A provisional response prepared by the local authority agreed with most of the proposals but with the proviso that consideration needed to be given to payment subsidies for people in receipt of state benefits to allow them microchip their dogs.

As mentioned above the response included clear opposition to any exemption for banned dogs. The view is that dogs banned by the Dangerous Dogs (NI) Order 1991 should no longer exist.

The proposals to provide exemptions are viewed by the Council’s Environmental Health Department as a replication of the earlier controls intended to eradicate breeds which have been unsuccessful. A dog of a type banned by the 1991 Order should be destroyed, the response suggested.