This section provides information in regard to the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 and how Wiltshire Council may be able to help regarding incidents involving a dog believed to be dangerous.
Despite what is commonly thought the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 does not only relate to the keeping of Pitt Bull Terriers, this is only a small section of the act.
Section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991
Under Section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 4 breeds of dog are named as prohibited breeds;
These are the:
- Pitt Bull Terrier
- Japanese Tosa
- Dogo Argentino
- Fila Braziliero
This makes it illegal to possess any of the above breeds except under strict conditions set out under the Act.
Section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991
Section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 relates to all dogs of any type or breed. This section makes it a criminal offence for the owner of a dog and any other person in charge of it at the time to allow any dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place or a private place where the dog has no right to be.
Under this section a dog is considered as being out of control if there are reasonable grounds to suspect that the dog will injure a person, whether or not it actually does so.
What can the council do?
There are two types of attack which can be caused by a dog, these are:
- Dog on human attacks
- Dog on dog attacks
Dog on human attacks
Although rare Dog on human attacks do occur, if you have been attacked by a dog you should report the incident immediately to the police, you can contact Wiltshire Police on 101. It is not the responsibility of the councils dog wardens to deal with dangerous dogs; the police should be contacted directly.
If the dog is still on the loose please ensure that the police are given this information so that steps can be taken to ensure public safety.
Dog on dog attacks
Generally dogs are very social animals, however, like humans; some do take a disliking to others. It is in a dog’s nature to try and satisfy a hierarchy between members of its pack (this includes animals it will come across whilst out on walks) and in order to do this there may ensue a scuffle between dogs. Most incidents are like this and both animals come away unscathed, however, sometimes things can escalate and serious attacks can occur leaving animals clearly in distress and visible injured. The best way to avoid any confrontation is to ensure that your dog is kept under your control by keeping the dog on a lead; the majority of incidents that get reported to us involve both parties animals being off the lead and therefore not under the complete control of the person walking it.
If you believe your dog has been seriously attacked by another person’s dog please ensure you:
- Check both dogs for any wounds, some may appear hidden at first ensure you give them a thorough check over.
- If your dog is injured ensure you seek veterinary treatment as soon as possible. Do not continue to exercise your dog as the movement may cause any smaller tears to enlarge rapidly.
- Ensure you take down the other parties details in case it is needed for insurance or prosecution purposes
Any severe dog on dog attacks should be reported immediately to us.
Last updated: 4 August 2011
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