Dobermann - please read my reply directly above yours..... do you have any ideas that would encourage responsible dog ownership in this country? (without shouting please!! )

And based on your arguments so far - it would have to be one that was cost free.

PS: Am I right in assuming you are a breeder?

Sorry but when the country is in recession and we have people living in poverty, funding being cut all over the place and jobs dissapearing left right and centre with no industry left.....I do find the thought of having to pay for legislation which cannot be enforced and has previously been found to be unworkable a bit frustrating

As i said in previous post, it is not stricktly a cost issue, it is against the law to not pick up dog mess, but i step in the stuff every day, dogs roaming loose see them every day. The problem is enforcement, the police have better things to do, until someone gets attacked, and the last time i saw the dog warden was 10 years ago, thats really going to make people clear upafter their dosg isn't it. The local council is now consulting on dog control orders, one of the things this is going to do according to them make people pick up dog mess, of course it won't, because they won't inforce it. And passports won't deter irresponsible breeders, because they just won't bother with them

I have already said, compulsory Micro chipping and if a person is registered as they owner even if they say they have sold dog on then they are responsible for dog and its action.

Micro chip system would just need a tweek. Breeder details should also be kept on file and you would soon see who's pups are ending up in rescue.

System is already there it just would be used a bit differently.

No, I'm not a breeder
As I said, take the bankers bonuses away and let people see where thier taxes are being spent before asking for more.....simply putting a tax on owning a dog won't make people more responsible.

Leadstaffs - I agree with this. All foals have to microchipped now and have a passport supporting this. Problems do arise though when animals are imported - very often their passport does not match the animal (its microchip) and unfortunately the traceability ends there!


Dobermann: to pick up on some of your questions - no I certainly do not think that someone needs to have a certain level of income to own a dog.

I can see you are wholeheartedly upset about the recession - aren't we all, it effects each and everyone of us (particularly fuel prices) but do you not think that the recession is leading to more dogs being rehomed?

Maybe if some system was in place at grass routes level this might be lessened?

I worked in the police force for 11 yrs - just before I left there was a drive to put a Wildlife Crime officer in each district. And although they obviously didn't prioritise pet dog problems - they did deal with sheep attacks etc so maybe with a bit of strong persuasion they could encompass pet animals too?

And to whoever said about self elected charity enforcing officers - I agree. Maybe this area should be looked at by the Government, but all the while the RSPCA are doing the job at no cost to them - I find it unlikely

Back to Dobermann - could you please list the current legislation that is in place but not being enforced?

From my own personal point of view I cannot think of any legislation whatsoever that would make me think for one second about buying another dog, breeding from dogs, walking them loose over the moors, taking them riding with me (obviously loose) along a public road/right of way etc.

If someone came to my house and one of my dogs bit them they wouldn't have any rights to sue me - only if my dog left the boundry of my own property and threatened another person or animal or caused an accident. Thats the only legislation I can think of. Other than byelaws about picking up dog mess or byelaws of prohibitive dog areas.

Oh - and the Dangerous Dog Act of course

If a dog is imported then the chip can be read and registered the same as other countries do when we export.

ravenwood I have to go off line now but I will try to get on tomorrow and reply to you then

Problems arose (with horses) that when the chip was read it often didn't match the passport. Just having a chip number doesn't mean you could trace the horse as there isn't an international database.

Therefore any old horse could be imported over here and sold by dealers - this is a common practise.

My point is that if every dog were to be micro chipped there would have to be an international database for it to succeed. At present I think there are several in this country alone.

But, yes, I do agree that this would be a step forward if you could get the Government to enforce a one stop data base.

Have a nice evening - I have enjoyed our debate