Kennel Club campaign to ban the sale and use of electric shock collars.
The KC is growing increasingly concerned that the Animal Welfare Bill currently being considered in the House of Lords does not include any provision to ban the sale and use of electric shock collars. As the Bill will soon be returning to the Commons for consideration, the KC is continuing to campaign for a ban to be included in the Bill. If you wish to join the campaign either write to your MP [if you dont know who this is you can find it on www.locata.co.uk/commons/] or you can contact Holly Lee on hlee@the-kennel-club.org.uk and she will send you a card already printed ready for you to sign and post to the House of Commons.
A new act has just come into force giving local authorities greater powers to put restrictions on dogs and their owners.
Councils now have the power to issue dog control orders and impose offences such as failing to remove dog faeces; not keeping a dog on the lead; not putting, and keeping, a dog on the lead when directed to do so by an authorised officer; permitting a dog to enter land from which dogs are excluded; and taking more than a specified number of dogs onto land.
Provisions
The Kennel Club fears that the wide ranging provisions will result in local
authorities taking disproportionate responses to irresponsible behaviour by a
minority of dog owners and raise revenue by fining owners who fail to comply
with orders they are unaware have been imposed.
KC secretary Caroline Kisko said local authorities must carry out consultation on orders before introducing them so that members of the public can influence, or at the very least be aware of, what orders are being introduced in their area. But that consultation need only involve placing an advertisement in a local newspaper.
"What is more, even dog owners who do study their local papers will not know about orders being introduced in other areas, so they could face prosecution if they walk their dog elsewhere", Mrs. Kisko said. "As many people will not read the classified section of their local newspapers, we are lobbying the government to improve the consultation process, as currently it would inevitably lead to dog owners being fined for reasons that they would not necessarily know about".
In the meantime the KC is urging owners to be vigilant and take the time to thoroughly read their local paper to check for orders.
"This is crucial, as the government has not put an appeals mechanism in place for those who get fined, nor even set a fine level", Mrs. Kisko said.
The newly launched KC Dog will keep owners informed about orders being introduced nationwide and provide advice to people about how to lobby and respond to local authorities.
Updated
"KC Dog will act as an intermediary between local authorities and their
residents but will rely on information from its participants in order to do
this as effectively as possible", Mrs Kisko said.
To keep updated on orders and campaigns which may affect dog owners, receive help in lobbying at local and national level or join KC Dog, contact Holly Lee at the KC on 020 7518 1020 or e-mail hlee@the-kennel-club.org.uk
With permission from Dog World