'We need a change in the law on ownership'

[Crossfire Bulldogs]

Cambridge Evening News - UK

In the last six months there have been 49 reported dog attacks in Cambridgeshire - a figure already approaching last year's total of 72.

The full scale of the problem was revealed after four-yearold George Brown was savaged by an American Bulldog in Huntingdon, leaving him needing 200 stitches to his face.

Danielle Brown, George's mum, said the problem was fuelled by irresponsible owners choosing large, powerful dogs which they could not manage.

Last month a five-month-old girl died after being attacked by two Rottweiler guard dogs in Leicester.

Danielle said: "I think it has become a fashion statement to have these sorts of dog. There was a big craze for Staffordshire Bull Terriers a while ago but it wasn't because they knew what the dogs were like or knew how to look after them, it was because they wanted to be seen out with them.

"People seemed to think, the tougher the dog the better it looks, and you see these people that don't have a clue about how to handle any dog - when they have a big powerful dog that can do some real damage, that is dangerous.

"I thing we have to change the law to stop just anyone getting their hands on a dog. I looked in the free ads yesterday (Sunday, 08 October) and there were rottweilers puppies on sale for £300, no questions asked about whether you know what you're doing with a dog like that."

Despite the number of attacks, Chris Nice, a Cambridgeshire RSPCA inspector, said powerful breeds of dogs were not inherently more dangerous than others.

However he said it was crucial dog owners trained their pets when they were young and ensured they kept control over them at all times.

He said: "On the face of it the number of attacks sounds high, but there are a lot of dogs in Cambridgeshire and the number involved here are a tiny minority.

"Responsible dog owners keep their dogs under control at all times and one of the ways of doing that is to get a dog properly trained when it is a puppy, so it can socialise with people and other dogs safely.

"The Dangerous Dogs Act banned some breeds, but I would say other dogs people are wary of, such as rottweilers or German Shepherds, are no more dangerous than any other in Britain.

"There are probably just as many attacks by Yorkshire Terriers of Jack Russell's but because rottweilers are such large dogs they cause a lot more damage when they attack."

The statistics show the number of attacks this year is on course to reach the high levels of two years ago, when 97 were reported to police in Cambridgeshire.

Strict ownership guidelines

AROUND 3,000 people are injured in dog attacks in Britain each year.

The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 brought in strict guidelines for owners and banned some breeds altogether. Among those outlawed were Pit Bull Terriers, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brazileiro breeds, and a new offence was created of dogs allowed to be dangerously out of control in a public place.

Dogs which are out of control can be seized by police and their owners fined or jailed for up to six months.

If the dog injures someone, the sentence can be increased to up to two years.

The courts also have the power to destroy the animal.