Cat charity calls for amendment to Dangerous Dogs Bill
10 May 2013
Following a recent string of fatal dog attacks on cats, Cats Protection is calling for a change in the law to ensure owners of dangerous dogs can be effectively prosecuted.
On average there is one reported fatal dog attack on a cat every week in England alone and tragically the current law does not provide adequate protection from such attacks.
Cats Protection is therefore asking the public to get behind their campaign by writing to their MP to lobby for change.
“Every incidence of a serious, often fatal, attack on a cat is a tragedy for the cat and its owner and something we believe should be regarded as a criminal offence,” explained Jacqui Cuff, Cats Protection’s Advocacy Manager.
The charity welcomes the Government’s proposal to include offences that occur in “any place in England and Wales” rather than just public spaces, but is seeking to extend the definition of victims to include all “protected animals”, which would include cats, as the Draft Dangerous Dogs Bill currently only covers humans and assistance dogs.
Jacqui added: “We support the recommendation made by the Environment Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee that the Government legislate to introduce Dog Control Notices using the model introduced in Scotland. We are disappointed that this suggestion has not been taken up in the new Bill and do not agree with Government that new flexible powers to tackle anti-social behaviour will adequately tackle attacks by dangerous dogs.
“The law covering dangerous dogs in Northern Ireland also gives much better protection to cats than the current proposals for England and Wales. In Northern Ireland setting a dog on any animal owned by someone else is a criminal offence. We want all cats in the UK to have the same level of protection.”
Cats Protection has submitted written evidence to the EFRA committee about the problem of dog attacks on cats. All evidence has been published today and the charity is hoping the Government will review this issue and take the opportunity to give cats full protection under criminal law from dog attacks.
For further information please call Cats Protection’s Helpline on 03000 12 12 12.
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For further information or an interview, please contact Cats Protection’s Media Office on 01825 741 911 or email
media.office@cats.org.uk
Notes to editors:
1. Cats Protection is the UK’s leading feline welfare charity and helps over 235,000 unwanted cats each year through a national network of 260 volunteer-run branches and 30 adoption centres.
2. Cats Protection’s registered charity number is 203644 (England and Wales) and SC037711 (Scotland). The charity’s vision is a world where every cat is treated with kindness and an understanding of its needs.
3. Founded as the Cats Protection League in 1927, the charity adopted the name Cats Protection in 1998. We ask that you use the name Cats Protection when referring to the charity in all published material.
4. More information about the work of Cats Protection can be found at
www.cats.org.uk
5. To find your local MP by postcode and send a message visit
www.writetothem.com/
6. To learn more about progress of the Draft Dangerous Dogs (Amendment) Bill and the current EFRA committee scrutiny enquiry of the Bill visit
www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/environment-food-and-rural-affairs-committee/news/ddda-bill-ev-session-1/
7. To view a copy of the draft amendment bill visit
www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm86/8601/8601.pdf