Under the Dangerous Dogs Act, it is illegal to own certain types of dog. These are – a pit bull terrier type, a Japanese Tosa type, Dogo Argentino type and a Fila Braziliero type.
Whether a dog is banned depends on its appearance rather than its breed or name. For example, if you owned a dog that had many characteristics of a Pit Bull Terrier, it may be a banned type. It is also against the law to sell, abandon, give away or breed from a banned dog. The police, with the permission of a court, may seize a banned dog even if a complaint hasn’t been made and the dog isn’t acting dangerously.
When a banned dog is seized, a police dog expert will then judge what type of dog you have and whether it is, or could be, a danger to the public. Depending on their decision your dog will either be released or kept in kennels before the case goes to court. If it goes to court, it would be your responsibility to prove your dog is not a banned type. If you are successful in proving this, your dog will be released to you.
If you are not successful, you will be found guilty of owning a banned type of dog. There are various penalties you could face, depending on the circumstances. These could include –
A fine and/or imprisonment for up to six months for having a dog that is dangerously out of control.
• A fine and/or imprisonment of up to five years if you let your dog injure someone.
• A fine and/or imprisonment of up to 14 years if the dog kills someone.
Not only could you be liable for any of the above, you may not be allowed to own a dog in the future and your dog may be destroyed.
If the courts do not consider a banned type to be a danger to the public, you may be allowed to keep it. You will be given a Certificate of Exemption and your dog must be:
neutered
microchipped
kept on a lead and muzzled at all times when in public
kept in a secure place so it can’t escape
As the owner of a banned type you must:
take out insurance against your dog injuring other people
be aged over 16
show the Certificate of Exemption when asked by a police officer or council dog warden, either at the time or within 5 days
let the IED (Index of Exempted Dogs) know if you change address, or your dog dies.
If you have any questions or concerns, or wish to report a crime, contact the Police on 101. If a crime is in progress call 999. You can also call CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111.