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Sal
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04-06-2008, 12:48 PM

Measures agreed to tackle 'status dogs'

http://www.rspca.org.uk/
04.06.08

A series of measures to tackle the growing 'status dog' culture in our cities have been agreed by delegates attending a conference hosted by the RSPCA yesterday.


The 240 conference delegates included representatives from the police, local authorities, animal welfare organisations and academics.

In a vote delegates agreed that the following should be made compulsory:

microchipping of dogs in order to link dog to owner
(agreed by 88 per cent of delegates)
dog registration
(agreed by 58 per cent of delegates).
"There is also widespread recognition that the agencies on the front line need to work better together in order to deal with irresponsible dog owners, who use dogs as weapons or let them run amok," said Tim Wass, RSPCA chief officer of the inspectorate.

"Everyone is rightly talking about dangerous owners, rather than dangerous dogs. All dogs can be trained to be aggressive, just as all dogs can make great pets. Dogs are a product of their environment rather than their breed, and it is the growing culture of irresponsibility that needs instead to be challenged."

There was universal support among the delegates for better cross agency data sharing, and clearer funding for local authority's animal welfare services, in order to better protect both animals and people in the community.

The vast majority of delegates also said:

breed-specific legislation does not address the current problems
(agreed by 88 per cent of delegates)
no 'new' breeds of dogs should be added to the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991
(agreed by 77 per cent of delegates).
The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 currently bans four breeds of dog: the American pit bull terrier, Dogo Argentino, Japanese Tosa and Fila Brazileros. The RSPCA does not agree with breed-specific legislation and believes instead that the onus should be on the owner rather than the dog.

Addressing the conference, North Wales Chief Constable Richard Brumstrom said, "the Dangerous Dogs Act is intellectually bankrupt", and that breed specific legislation is "stupid".

However Lord Rooker, Minister of State for Animal Welfare, stated that the government does not think new legislation is the answer, and that there is no parliamentary time available to change current laws.

The Minister has launched a Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) booklet to educate the public about the current laws regarding irresponsible dog ownership.
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youngstevie
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04-06-2008, 12:57 PM
Still think everyone should pass a test before ownership....I for one would gladly do it.
and it was a shame not to see 100% backing Micro-chipping.
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random
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04-06-2008, 02:27 PM
Originally Posted by youngstevie View Post
Still think everyone should pass a test before ownership....I for one would gladly do it.
and it was a shame not to see 100% backing Micro-chipping.
Exactly, what reason do the other 12% actually have against microchipping?

The thing is, who would police a test? BYB would just go underground. Should be like driving, you have to pass a test in order to acquire a licence to be able to own a dog. In an ideal world eh?
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sallyinlancs
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04-06-2008, 02:52 PM
What are 'status dogs' - I've never heard that expression before?
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Muddiwarx
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04-06-2008, 02:53 PM
Originally Posted by random View Post
Exactly, what reason do the other 12% actually have against microchipping?

?

Chips move and fall out and can fail

Stolen dogs have been mutilated to remove chips ....

They aren't a visible deterrant to thieves

Lots of rescues still don't scan making them a waste of time ...


Mine ARE chipped but I am not really keen on it as a system - too many issues with it, but it had to be done for pet passport ...
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alexandra
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04-06-2008, 02:54 PM
status dogs refer the chav dogs...
so rotties, staffys etc...the ones that make them look "hard" !

the ones that get a bad rep so us responsible owners of these wonderful dogs get the flak!
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sallyinlancs
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04-06-2008, 02:56 PM
Ah I see what they mean now! Tx alexandra!
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youngstevie
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04-06-2008, 03:13 PM
Originally Posted by random View Post
Exactly, what reason do the other 12% actually have against microchipping?

The thing is, who would police a test? BYB would just go underground. Should be like driving, you have to pass a test in order to acquire a licence to be able to own a dog. In an ideal world eh?
We should be giving more powers to societies like RSPCA etc., Do you know one of the things that really pi$$ed me off when I worked with the Inspectors was seeing a enthusiastic new Inspector turn into a
'We have our hands tied'
'It wouldn't stand up in court'
'I can not get the Police to escort entry they are too busy'
' It has a clean kennel'
'someone is popping in to feed it once every 24 hrs'
'We can not force entry without the Police'
and a million things.....all tied up with the law.

If you look at these programmes Animal Cops...they have powers, they can even do an arrest. No so over here, an Inspector has to call the Police before an arrest takes place, if the perpetrator legs it an Inspector can not hold them as it's classed as assault.
When I used to go to court with the Inspectors I've even heard some solicitors commenting on the fact that it is just an animal case and suggesting that they will be finished early

I'm not including anyone on Dogsey......but it's time that people realised that just because it's an animal, that doesn't mean it can be subjected to anything that thrown at it...so to speak. I've met many people in my time on this planet that quote...Yea but it's only a dog, or it's only a cat, or animals are dumb etc etc., It really infuriates me.
Apart from Skye and Bruce, everyone of mine (thats 11 of them) are all ex cruelty animals. A cat that was thrown on a bonfire, another left to suffer for days with burns on her, one with three legs, a dog left for 2 weeks in a shed with multipal injuries........it's too horrific beyond words.
$ years ago our old cat was PTS after I'd had her for 16 years.......came to me at 6 months after having bangers attached to her tail and two back legs then set off....all the boys got was a 12 month ban.....ban on what animals..brill except that they didn't own any animals between them. What is a ban if you have no animals.....the law needs to TOUGHEN up....and what were they other 12% wanting if not micro-chipped.....or were those the one's saying...'Yes should be finished quite early, can meet on the golf-course' ' have a few drinks' etc Sorry I feel very passionate about such things and I wish to God that they would leave me to deal with such SCUM
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random
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04-06-2008, 03:16 PM
Originally Posted by Muddiwarx View Post
Chips move and fall out and can fail

Stolen dogs have been mutilated to remove chips ....

They aren't a visible deterrant to thieves

Lots of rescues still don't scan making them a waste of time ...


Mine ARE chipped but I am not really keen on it as a system - too many issues with it, but it had to be done for pet passport ...
Yes true, but is it not better than nothing?
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sallyinlancs
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04-06-2008, 03:18 PM
Fair points Stevie! I think animal inspectors SHOULD have more powers as they do in America. I also think there are MANY law changes required if our laws are to reflect that we are supposed to be a nation of animal lovers. In fact I was thinking of opening a new thread about this the other day........ I'll get to it now.
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