All dogs to be insured by law

[pmt]

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/162264/All-dogs-to-be-insured-by-law


Tuesday March 9 2010 http://cdn.images.dailyexpress.co.uk/img/common/commentBubble.gif Have your say(100) (http://www.express.co.uk/comments/add/162264)

EVERY dog owner in Britain will be forced to fork out up to £600 a year for insurance under new Labour plans to tackle so-called "devil dogs".

Last night critics said the proposals will punish responsible owners while those who keep dangerous breeds will simply continue to flout the law.
And it could cost even more. The Kennel Club warned insurance firms might take advantage of the new law to inflate prices.
Plans to review the Dangerous Dogs Act, being announced today by Environment Secretary Hilary Benn and Home Secretary Alan Johnson, will mean anyone who keeps a dog, including docile miniature breeds, will have to take out an insurance policy in case their pet attacks someone.
The review also suggests that all Britain’s estimated 10.5 million dogs must be fitted with a microchip, further pushing up the cost of owning man’s best friend by another £25.
Alex Deane, director of campaign group Big Brother Watch, said: “We have managed to own dogs in this country for hundreds of years without any tax policy.
“There’s a reason why the saying is ‘One man and his dog’ and not ‘One man, his dog and his third-party liability’. I think this is absurd and completely disproportionate Andi Godfrey, of the London Dog Forum, said: “It’s all very well bringing in this legislation, but it’s always the people who are responsible dog owners who suffer.
“From the emails I get, dog owners feel let down and my feeling is that dangerous dogs are a social problem.”
The Government’s 12-week consultation is announced after police seized 900 dangerous dogs in the capital alone last year.
The RSPCA has reported a 12-fold increase in complaints about dog fights between 2004 and 2008.

[fredblog]

Yes this is all very well and good but like car tax only the honest are going to get it. Those that want the dogs as weapons won't bother!

I hope the dog homes start building hundreds of kennels because paying up to £600 a year for dog will mean my 2 will have to go for a start, and so will hundred of thousands of other dogs across the country with no possibility of re-homing them....Another poorly thought out Government plan!

[pmt]

Hi Freeblog

It won't work anyway,unless you get bitten by a neighbours dog,
If a dog walker (you) for instance is out walking their dog ,on a canal side ,on a beach somewhere secluded and you and you dog gets attack by another dog and you get bitten how are you going to get the details from the other person,you can't force it out of them they just have to walk away, by the time the police or dog warden appears they've gone

you will most likely never see them again,

My dad ,me and my dogs were attacked by a rottie and bulldog( i have 2 small yorkies),couple of years ago,These dogs came flying at us from nowhere, I manage to pick my dogs up in my arms ,the rotty and the bulldog tried to rip my dogs out of my arms,

My dad quickly wrapped his arms around me so we had our dogs between us,and dad and i were turning this way and that way as the dogs attacked us,
The owners were about 100-150 ft away from us screaming at their dogs to come to them the dogs ignored them ,by the time the owners reached us the Rottie,had caught my arm with his bottom teeth ,luckly i had on several layers of clothes,(my arm just had teeth mark bruises)

The male owner stood there doing nothing , It was the woman owner who had to jump on the rotties back and pin him down with her body,

She told us to carry on with our walk ,Dad said I want your details my daughters been bit,(I didn't know how bad at this time I just knew my arm hurt)

She told us to go up the public footpath and she would come after us with her details, once she put the dogs in the car,(yer right) ,I told her no i was going back to our car, so i ran back with our 2 dogs still in my arms ,frighten because i thought the rottie had got hold of one, at one point ,but luckly ,it was just me that got bit,

what happened next ,when we tried to get details off the owners, was an abusive situation, they threatened us swore at us,told us it was our fault for picking our dogs up,(if we hadn't they would have been ripped apart),the woman was screaming at us (we were in our car) ,the man told my dad to get out of the car,he was saying it was my fault for screaming (I was screaming for them to get the dogs off us after i'd been bit,)

anyway we called the police ,2 cars turned up in time and took statements,

The man got a caution (only because I insisted the police gave him one) the police kept saying the male owner apologised to them,I pointed out neither,he or the women apologised to us,
If someone refuses to give their details what can you do,

I agree with you how can poor pensioners ,unemployed,and people living on the street ( and their dogs are a godsend to them ) afford insurance,My dogs are my life,without them i will be lost,but £600 each ,I don't know what I would do,I couldn't afford it,

My fear is people will end up having their dogs put down or killing them themselves,or just dumping them,we would end up with packs of dogs roaming the streets,

PMT

[Isis]

To be honest a responsible Owner should do this anyway, we did with "My Girl".

[pmt]

Hi Isis,

My dogs wouldn't bite anyone,Although they don't like other dogs (since they were attacked), I keep them under control on a lead at all times when other dogs are about,I don't see why i and other responsible owners have to be penalised because of people who don't keep their dogs under control and think it macho to have a large vicious dog :(

PMT

[fredblog]

Isis I am a very responsible dog owner BUT I can't afford to insure my dogs, not even for vets fees. Why should I as responsible owner with dogs that have and are being trained daily have to pay a tax, yes a tax, for some thugs up the road who have dogs to use as weapons or can't be bothered to train them?

To answer the next question, yes my dogs do see a vet as I am eligible for PDSA help and no I can not get a job as a) I am disabled and unfit for work and b) a full time carer. And yes the dogs do get exercise.

I also own a cat who is far more likely to cause injury than the dogs if picked up wrongly or harassed

It is not addressing the problem. The bad owners or thugs will not get their dog insured and will continue as they are.

Just who do the Government think will Police this? The local constabulary are not going to pull up each dog owner and ask to see their documents!

It's unworkable!