The Government has admitted there may be an argument for slapping ASBOs on irresponsible dog owners - after calls from a Bradford MP.

Bradford West MP Marsha Singh said changes needed to be made to the Dangerous Dogs Act and it was time for a full debate to decide the way forward.

He has written to Bradford Council and West Yorkshire Police asking them to look into the possibility of using Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) against irresponsible dog owners.

He said: "It is clear that changes are needed but the question is how and what changes will be effective. It is a perennial issue in my constituency.

"I want people to look into the possibility of using ASBOs against irresponsible dog owners."

A Home Office spokesman said there was already sufficient legislation in place to deal with the dangerous dog crimes.

But she conceded: "It is possible there may be a case to use an ASBO on irresponsible dog owners."

Bradford Council confirmed it had received the letter from Mr Singh and was considering the matters raised.

Environmental Health manager Carol Morgan, who has responsibility for the city's dog warden services, said: "The Council is fully supportive of exploring any action that helps to prevent dog attacks and promotes responsible dog ownership."

Sue Brown, a former teacher and a magistrate in Bradford, was left physically scarred for life when a Rottweiler attacked her as she walked in Heaton Woods, last year.

The man with the dog saw Mrs Brown, 58, being mauled but walked off, leaving her alone with a badly injured and bleeding right arm.

And earlier this year she learned no action would be taken as the Crown Prosecution Service said it had insufficient evidence to link the attack with the dog.

Mr Singh, who became involved with the case, said he found two fundamental problems when trying to help after being told by police that the Heaton Woods Trust was a private place.

He said: "Firstly, what is a public place and what is a private place? Should it matter?

"The second issue is the apparent lack of action by the police.

"Whether this is because dog attacks are a low priority or because the police are not fully aware of the powers at their disposal, I do not know."

Section Three of the Act only applies when a dog is in a public place, or a private place where it is not permitted to be.

Mr Singh said he did not know what the answers were, but a full debate was needed, as he spoke at a parliamentary seminar hosted by the Kennel Club over the future of dangerous dogs.

Mrs Brown was the teacher of six-year-old Rukhsana Khan, who was mauled by an American Pit Bull Terrier in Manningham in 1991 - the incident which led to the introduction of the Dangerous Dogs Act.

Mr Singh told the audience that he supported the Telegraph & Argus Curb the Danger Dogs Campaign, which is pressing for:

  • compulsory registration for all dogs, rather than the current system which limits it to certain breeds
  • all dogs to be micro-chipped to allow ownership to be traced
  • mandatory life bans from dog ownership to be introduced for anyone convicted of having a dangerous dog
  • a record of control orders to be kept on every dog's registration
  • a specific offence of allowing a dog to stray to be added to the Act, with fixed penalty fines for owners to prevent dogs being out of control at any time.
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