Pet ownership and the law
Being a pet owner is a huge privilege and extremely rewarding, and with it comes great responsibility.
Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, every animal has the right to:
- have ready access to fresh water, and a suitable diet to maintain health and vigor
- have a comfortable resting area, and an appropriate environment in which to shelter
- be free of pain, injury, and disease, through prevention, rapid diagnosis, and treatment
- have access to sufficient space, proper facilities, and the company of animals of the same species, in order to express normal behaviour
- be free from fear and distress, by ensuring the conditions and treatment avoids mental suffering.
This means as part of your responsibility you should ensure the animal is regularly wormed, vaccinated, exercised, trained, has a clean area for toileting, a separate clean area for eating/drinking, fur and nails are kept clean, free from parasites, and trimmed appropriately, and a suitable clean and comfortable space is provided for sleeping.
Failure to attend to the health and welfare of your pet can lead to prosecution, a fine, a ban from keeping animals, and potentially imprisonment.
You are also legally required to ensure you adhere to social rules too. So are you familiar with the law?
In April 2016, it became a legal requirement to microchip your dog.
A microchip is implanted under the skin, usually between the shoulder blades, by a registered veterinarian. Each chip has a unique number which identifies the dog with it's registered keeper. If your dog is lost or stolen, it can help with ensuring the dog is returned to the owner swiftly, if it is found. But this can only happen if the ownership details are kept up to date.
There have been cases where a dog has been returned to the breeder, who then re-sold the dog, because the owner hadn't updated the microchip details.
If you buy a puppy from a breeder, they are legally responsible for having the puppy chipped, and it must be registered to them prior to sale. Once you take the puppy home, you are then responsible for updating the chip with your details.
Did you know you can be fined for not keeping a microchips details up to date?
You can be fined up to £500 if your dog isn't registered to you, and you run the risk of losing your dog if it is found but can't be reunited with you due to your address and contact phone number being incorrect.
Microchips have also been known, over time, to relocate to an area of the dog's body other than where it was implanted. So it is always worth asking your veterinarian to check for it during other routine visits.
Currently there is no legal obligation to microchip any other pet, but doing so may help with a quick and safe return should your cat, for example, be lost and found.
Did you know your dog also has to have an identity tag when out in public?
The Control of Dogs Order 1992 states that all dogs need to wear a collar and tag, with the contact address (including postcode) clearly visible, when in a public place. This is also a legal requirement, as well as microchipping, (one does not replace the other), and failure to comply can lead to a fine of up to £5000.
Tags can be on either collars or harnesses, so long as they are clearly visible and contain the necessary details. Telephone numbers, and the dog's name, are optional.
The only exceptions to this law are:
- Dogs on official duty (eg. police dogs, customs dogs, armed forces dogs)
- Dogs or packs of hounds competing in a sporting event
- Guide dogs for the blind
- Dogs being used to control vermin or herd livestock
- Dogs being used for search and rescue services
Dog transportation
Rule 57 of the Highway Code states that drivers are responsible for making sure animals are suitably restrained in a vehicle so that they cannot distract you, or injure you, themselves, or others during an emergency stop.
Pets should either be restrained within a crate,
in the rear of the vehicle with a safety guard fitted,
or on the back seat with a fitted harness and seatbelt attachment.
Should you be involved in an accident, and your pet isn't suitably restrained, you will be breaking the law, and could incur penalty points on your driver's license and face a fine. Not to mention, your pet could be thrown the length of the car interior, or through the windscreen, causing serious injury or death to the animal, or a person.
Controlling your dog
It is against the law to let your dog be dangerously out of control, regardless of whether it is in a public place, a private garden, or your own home.
This includes your dog injuring a person, another animal, or if someone believes it may cause injury if they try to stop an attack. Learning canine body language and facial cues would be beneficial to all dog owners, particularly those with children.
Farmers are allowed to shoot your dog if they believe it is a threat to their livestock, so it is always advisable to keep your dog on a lead when near to farm animals. Also keep your dog away from horses and wild fowl to limit the distress this may cause them.
Penalties for allowing your dog to become out of control are quite severe. You can face an unlimited fine, a prison sentence, a ban on keeping animals, and your dog may also be euthanized.
Dog Fouling
As a dog owner, you have a legal obligation to clean up any mess your dog leaves in a public space, unless you are registered blind and have a guide dog.
Failure to clean up after your dog, if caught, can land you a fine of between £80 to £1000.
There are exceptions however. If you are on agricultural land or woodland, rural common land, marshland/moor/heath, or highways with a 50mph speed limit or more, then you don't have to clean up.
Personally, from an environmental perspective, I believe you should clear up anyway (unless there is risk of injury), in order to avoid potential contamination of land and water sources, or spread of disease, not only to humans, but livestock and wild animals also.
By providing training and proper socialization, both you and your dog can enjoy spending time exploring the great outdoors in safety.
Should you wish to travel abroad with your dog, you will need to ensure microchip details, vaccinations (including rabies), worming treatments, and your pet passport, are all up to date.
If you are considering kennels/catteries or homeboarding for your pet, you should also ensure vaccinations, worming treatments, and microchip details are up to date, and that the establishment you are considering has the appropriate licenses.
Under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals (England)) Regulations 2018, people who provide day care or overnight stays in their own home also require a licence from their local authority.
Pet Care Providers who provide a service within the pet owner's home do not require a licence currently, and Dog Walkers are also unregulated. However, some local authorities require dog walking businesses to be licensed, and the limit for number of dogs walked together, in some areas, is 4.
One other point to consider is noise. If your dog barks regularly, or for a prolonged period, your neighbour can report you to the local council. Once a noise nuisance complaint is made the council must investigate, and may issue you with a Noise Abatement Notice. If the barking continues, you may face prosecution under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
It is your responsibility to find out if, why, and when, your dog is barking incessantly, and to take measures to reduce the occurrences. Canine anxiety can often be the cause of nuisance day time barking while owners are out at work, and is preventable with training or mid-day visits to break up the day.
🐾Happy Pet Ownership🐾
Comments
Post a Comment