The effectiveness of legislation Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010 (the 2010 Act) is to be examined by a Holyrood committee.
The aim of the 2010 Act was to ensure that dogs which are out of control are brought and kept under control by tackling irresponsible dog ownership and by shifting the focus from “breed” to “deed”.
To do so the Act makes provision for local authorities to impose measures on an owner, or person in charge of a dog, who fails to keep their dog under control.
As part of its post-legislative scrutiny of the 2010 Act, the Public Audit and Post-Legislative Scrutiny Committee will examine the role of local authorities in fulfilling their duties, including the serving of Dog Control Notices as a deterrent to irresponsible dog ownership.
The inquiry was prompted following concerns at the number of dog attacks in Scotland, with the number of people receiving treatment for dog bites rising from 1,939 in 2015 to 2,027 in 2016.
Public Audit and Post-Legislative Scrutiny Committee convener, Jenny Marra MSP, said: “The Control of Dogs Act was right to recognise that responsibility rests with dog owners to ensure their pets pose no risk to the public.
“Our committee wants to hear a wide range of views on whether the act has been effective in reducing the number of out of control dogs.
“We want to know how well local authorities are carrying out their duties under the act, and whether the public believe legislation can and should be strengthened to prevent dog attacks in the future.”
More information is available here.
