The Kennel Club has welcomed the Welsh Government’s Control of Dogs Bill, which could help to protect the public better and improve the welfare of animals.

The Kennel Club and Dogs Trust recently lobbied Assembly Members on the issue of dangerous dogs, and the urgent need for new legislation to deal with the welfare and public safety concerns surrounding the issue.

The Bill will see action being taken where dogs attack people or other animals on any property and will promote responsible dog ownership with strong training and education requirements for dog owners.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary said: “We are pleased to see a focus on prevention, concentrating on responsible ownership, through dog training and education.

“At the Kennel Club, we believe Dog Control Notices are a good preventative measure that place more responsibility on the owner to ensure they are controlling their dogs in an appropriate way; whether this be through training, keeping the dog on a lead, muzzling, refraining from entering certain areas and so on.

“We welcome the principle of making dog bites on private property an offence. However, the application of law to private property should include exemptions to cover certain circumstances, such as a bite as a result of provocation or whilst a person is committing an offence.

“With this Bill, Wales has shown its commitment to dog welfare, the government is taking decisive action to help tackle the problem of dangerous dogs in a sensible and proactive way.”

Peter Jones, President of the British Veterinary Association, said: “Once again the Welsh Government is taking a lead on canine issues by seeking a more preventive approach to dog control.

“The announcement clearly recognises that a dog’s behaviour is primarily the result of the way it is reared, socialised and trained and not the way it looks, and that irresponsible ownership needs to be tackled in a constructive manner before it becomes a problem.

“Many of the elements included in the draft Bill are changes that BVA has long campaigned for alongside dog welfare organisations, the police and others.

“The BVA has championed the use of Dog Control Notices and we support the extension of the law to cover private property and attacks on other animals.

“The Dangerous Dogs Act, which focuses on a dog’s breed, has failed and ultimately the BVA wants to see it repealed. We hope that these bold measures in Wales will be another step towards better dog control legislation across the UK.”