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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, will the Responsible Dog Ownership working group continue beyond the forthcoming publication of it’s findings.

Defra will continue to work with members of the Responsible Dog Ownership working group including police, local authorities and animal welfare organisations to facilitate the recommendations of the taskforce’s report. Conclusions from this work aim to address all aspects of tackling irresponsible dog ownership effectively, from prevention to robust, consistent enforcement, focussing on owners as well as on their dogs.