Dangerous dogs
It is against the law to let a dog be dangerously out of control anywhere, such as:
- in a public place
- in a private place, eg a neighbour's house or garden
- in the owner's home
The law applies to all dogs.
Some types of dogs are banned. . This is the police's responsibility to identify and deal with any banned breed. The council do not have any officer eligible to formally identify such dogs.
Out of control dogs
Your dog is considered dangerously out of control if it:
- injures someone
- makes someone worried that it might injure them
A court could also decide that your dog is dangerously out of control if either of the following apply:
- it attacks someone's animal
- the owner of an animal thinks they could be injured if they tried to stop your dog attacking their animal
Penalties
You can get an unlimited fine or be sent to prison for up to 6 months (or both) if your dog is dangerously out of control. You may not be allowed to own a dog in the future and your dog may be destroyed.
If you let your dog injure someone you can be sent to prison for up to 5 years or fined (or both). If you deliberately use your dog to injure someone you could be charged with 'malicious wounding'.
If you allow your dog to kill someone you can be sent to prison for up to 14 years or get an unlimited fine (or both).
If you allow your dog to injure an assistance dog (for example a guide dog) you can be sent to prison for up to 3 years or fined (or both).
Contacts
A dog dangerously out of control can be separated into three parts:
- A dog attacking a human - Contact the Police Phone 101
- Dog on Dog - Contact Kirklees Council Phone 01484 414739
- A dog causing fear and apprehension - Contact Kirklees Council Phone 01484 414739