Dog owners whose pets kill other dogs could be prosecuted, under plans unveiled today.
Fatal dog-on-dog attacks would be made a specific criminal offence through a law proposed by a Conservative MP.
Currently, dog-on-dog attacks are only a specific criminal offence if the victim is an assistance or service dog, but not pets.
Tory backbencher Anna Firth hopes her Animal Welfare (Responsibility for Dog Attacks) Bill will win government backing and trigger a legal shake up.
“Most dog owners are responsible but there must be consequences for the small minority who are not,” she told the Commons.
“This is about dealing with that small minority who irresponsibly allow their dogs to kill other people's dogs.”
Dog-on-dog attacks have risen from 1,700 in 2016 to 11,559 in 2021, according to Freedom of Information data from 14 police forces, Ms Firth told the Commons.
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The Essex MP has dubbed the legislation “Emilie’s Law” in memory of a dog mauled to death in her Southend West constituency.
Her constituent Michael Joannou’s dog Emilie who was mauled to death by another dog in a park in 2021.
“Emilie was savagely attacked by an off-lead, out-of-control dog while on a walk,” said Ms Firth.
“Michael described the attack as like watching a horror movie - the dog came at Emilie like a missile and, although she was on her lead, shook her like a rag doll.
“Michael found himself helpless to stop Emilie being torn apart in front of his eyes, and after the attack had no option but to carry Emilie bleeding and with serious open wounds to her abdomen to the nearest vet where sadly she was put down.”
She said dog owners would be “devastated” to lose their pet in such a vicious way - and “doubly devastated” if police were unable to do anything.
“That is exactly what happened to Michael,” the MP said.
“Because she was brutally torn apart by someone else’s dog, nothing could be done.”
Pet owners are left feeling “powerless” and “deeply frustrated”, she told MPs adding: “Plainly, it is not the dogs which are the problem - dogs have owners and every dog owner has a responsibility to ensure their dog does not fatally attack another one.”
Ms Firth believed tackling “dog-on-dog aggression - and dog attacks in particular - may well prevent a dog from going on and attacking other animals, adults or even children”.
The Mirror is campaigning on Time for Action on Danger Dogs after a spate of fatal attacks on children and adults.
Our demands include: widening the list of banned breeds to make it illegal to own, breed or sell other dangerous types; introducing a law requiring owners to register certain breeds that could be dangerous; and forcing anyone wanting to own a potentially dangerous breed to attend a training course, along with an assessment of the dog’s behaviour.
Ms Firth’s Bill cleared its first parliamentary hurdle and is due to be debated again on November 24
But it is unlikely to become law without government backing.
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