It is encouraging that Home Secretary John Reid has ordered a re-examination of the Dangerous Dogs Act, but it is not surprising.

Given the number of horrific attacks that have been reported in the last couple of weeks it has surely become obvious that something needs to be done to bring dangerous dogs and their owners under control.

Our "Curb the Danger Dogs" campaign was launched before the recent spate of national stories.

What has happened since reinforces the need for a tightening of the law so that action can be taken against owners who fail to behave responsibly and allow their potentially savage animals to put the public - and, indeed, members of their own families - at risk.

One incident after another supports our case. A tiny baby is mauled to death by a pair of rottweilers. A toddler is disfigured by another dog of the same breed, as is the wife of former police chief John Stalker. A woman is attacked in Heaton Woods by an uncontrolled animalIt can't be allowed to continue.

Mr Reid's admission that the law on sentencing and micro-chipping might need to be changed is a useful start.

But there is much more that can and should be done. We will be keeping up the pressure on the Home Secretary by sending him copies of our petition and reminding him of the changes to the law that we and our readers are seeking - changes which go rather further that the ones he has suggested he might be considering.