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Dog attacks in London rise by 50% in one year (9 June 2015)

Date: 09/06/2015
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, Dog attacks in London rise by 50% in one year

New figures from the London Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime show dog attacks in London have risen by half as much again in just 12 months.

London newspaper the Evening Standard reports that in 2014, a total of 867 dogs were seized, out of which 167 were destroyed and 674 were returned to their owners.

Police seized 383 dogs classed as banned breeds – and 224 were removed from their owners after causing injury to others.

London’s Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime Stephen Greenhalgh has said that, as a result of a change in the law supported by London Mayor Boris Johnson, police now record dog attacks on private property – and the new figures for the first time “give us the real picture of the problem”.

The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 was amended in May 2014 to enable prosecutions for dog attacks on private property, as well as in public places.

The move followed several high-profile cases in which people had been killed by out-of-control dogs on private property, including 14-year-old Jade Lomas-Anderson from Wigan, who was set upon by a pack of four dogs at a friend’s house and killed, while she was eating a meat pie.

A London MP is now calling for new moves to tackle the problem of banned dogs kept as pets – and is calling for the police to treat such dogs as any other form of weapon, including knives and guns.

Conservative MP for Enfield South David Burrowes launched a campaign after his Labrador was attacked by a Staffordshire bull terrier in a local park.

He said that attacks by dogs on other dogs should be treated as seriously by the police as attacks by dogs on humans.

“The concern is the authorities are waiting for a dog to attack a human before they take action,” he said.

“You have many cases where reportings do not lead to prosecutions – and I’m concerned it’s not treated as high a priority as it should be.

“The focus has been on guns, knives – but these [animals] can be used as weapons and should be treated so,” he added.

Mr Burrowes is calling for better intelligence gathering at local level on dangerous dogs.

Scotland Yard has warned that gangs frequently breed banned and aggressive dogs as status symbols.

The Deputy Mayor said that the Metropolitan Police’s “status” dog unit had been boosted and these resources could now be used to tackle dangerous dogs.

A spokesman for the Met Police said:

“We recognise the number of incidents has risen. Our strategy to tackle the issue include prevention and the fast-tracking of court disposals.”

Duncan Lewis Crime Lawyers

Duncan Lewis crime lawyers can advise at any stage of a criminal charge, including charges relating to the Dangerous Dogs Act and breeding or owning a banned dog or allowing a dog to be out-of-control.

There are Duncan Lewis offices nationwide – and a criminal defence lawyer can usually reach a client at a police station or Magistrates’ Court in less than an hour.

For expert legal advice on all criminal charges – including charges under the Dangerous Dogs Act – call Duncan Lewis
crime lawyers on 020 7923 4020.

For 24/7 help at a police station, call the Duncan Lewis Emergency Hotline on 020 7275 2036.

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