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Written Question
Dangerous Dogs
Thursday 10th July 2025

Asked by: Kirith Entwistle (Labour - Bolton North East)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the monitoring of orders requiring dogs to be muzzled in public.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra is working with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to encourage responsible dog ownership, to ensure dog control issues are addressed before they escalate and to make sure the full force of the law is applied. As part of this work, we have reconvened the Responsible Dog Ownership taskforce to explore measures to promote responsible dog ownership across all breeds of dog. This includes consideration of enforcement. We look forward to receiving the findings and recommendations from the taskforce in due course.


Written Question
Dangerous Dogs
Thursday 10th July 2025

Asked by: Kirith Entwistle (Labour - Bolton North East)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the enforcement of orders requiring dogs to be muzzled in public.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra is working with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to encourage responsible dog ownership, to ensure dog control issues are addressed before they escalate and to make sure the full force of the law is applied. As part of this work, we have reconvened the Responsible Dog Ownership taskforce to explore measures to promote responsible dog ownership across all breeds of dog. This includes consideration of enforcement. We look forward to receiving the findings and recommendations from the taskforce in due course.


Written Question
Assistance Animals
Thursday 10th July 2025

Asked by: Kirith Entwistle (Labour - Bolton North East)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of penalties in place for dog-on-dog attacks involving service dogs.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

It is an offence under section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 to allow a dog to attack an assistance dog. The maximum penalty for such an offence is three years imprisonment or an unlimited fine, or both.

Defra is working with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to explore measures to reduce dog attacks and promote responsible dog ownership. We have reconvened the Responsible Dog Ownership taskforce and look forward to receiving their findings and recommendations in due course.


Written Question
Assistance Animals
Thursday 10th July 2025

Asked by: Kirith Entwistle (Labour - Bolton North East)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of protections in place to prevent service dogs from attacks by other dogs.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

It is an offence under section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 to allow a dog to attack an assistance dog. The maximum penalty for such an offence is three years imprisonment or an unlimited fine, or both.

Defra is working with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to explore measures to reduce dog attacks and promote responsible dog ownership. We have reconvened the Responsible Dog Ownership taskforce and look forward to receiving their findings and recommendations in due course.


Written Question
Assistance Animals
Thursday 10th July 2025

Asked by: Kirith Entwistle (Labour - Bolton North East)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to protect service dogs from attacks by other dogs.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

It is an offence under section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 to allow a dog to attack an assistance dog. The maximum penalty for such an offence is three years imprisonment or an unlimited fine, or both.

Defra is working with the police, local authorities and animal welfare groups to explore measures to reduce dog attacks and promote responsible dog ownership. We have reconvened the Responsible Dog Ownership taskforce and look forward to receiving their findings and recommendations in due course.