Britain's largest animal charity has thrown its weight behind the Telegraph & Argus Curb the Danger Dogs campaign.

Dave Millard, regional superintendent for the north region of the RSPCA, said that compulsory micro-chipping of all dogs and the creation of a dog register were essential to curbing dog attacks.

He said: "The RSPCA has been calling for compulsory micro-chipping and registration of all dogs, no matter what breed, for many years.

"These measures would not only help us with issues relating to dangerous dogs but would also help to reduce the number of stray dogs because they could be more easily re-united with their owners."

Mr Millard also highlighted the need for the dog warden service in Bradford to be expanded.

"There was a time when the Bradford dog warden service was leading the way in its field," he said.

"But service was reduced and the consequence was that it can no longer provide the quality of service it used to."

Mr Millard has added his signature to the our petition which is calling on the Government to toughen up the Dangerous Dogs Act.

We want as many people as possible to sign it to before it is presented to Home Secretary John Reid.

Our campaign is calling for: l A compulsory registration scheme for all dogs to help establish a register for dangerous dogs and enable them to be monitored.

l Permanent compulsory micro-chipping of all dogs.

l Anyone convicted of owning a dangerous dog should have a lifetime ban on owning a dog.

l The setting up of an accurate register of owners and their dogs.

l The introduction of a fixed penalty notice for those who allow their dogs to stray.

Mr Millard said: "The key is owner responsibility.

"People have to be made more accountable for the actions of their dogs."

l The T&A wants as many people as possible to sign the petition.

Copies are available at the T&A's offices in Hall Ings, Bradford, and Kirkgate, Shipley.

They are also at the offices of the Keighley News, in North Street, Keighley, the Craven Herald, in High Street, Skipton, and the Ilkley Gazette and Wharfedale Observer, in Wells Road, Ilkley.

The petition can also be downloaded from www.the telegraphandargus.co.uk e-mail: jennifer.sugden@bradford.newsquest.co.uk

HOW YOU CAN SIGN OUR PETITION

You can back our Curb the Danger Dogs Campaign by signing our petition, which will be submitted to the Home Secretary, John Reid.

We want to collect as many signatures as possible in the next month to show Mr Reid the strength of feeling in the district about the inadequacies of the Dangerous Dogs Act and to put pressure on him to better protect the public against dog attacks by acting on the changes to the law we have outlined on the petition.

You can support our campaign simply by adding your own name on the petition online at our publi-cation's website www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk. Or you can print out the petition and ask family, friends and colleagues to sign as well. The more signatures we receive, the stronger our message.

But whatever you can do will add weight to our campaign and help to make it clear to Mr Reid the strength of public feeling regarding the desperate need to change the current law.

Remember, you need to return copies of the petition to the T&A (the address is at the foot of the form) by Thursday, October 12.

We will then submit all the forms we receive to the Home Office.

Click here to sign the petition on-line

Or click here to download a copy of the petition to print out