dogs News

The chairwoman of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, Anne McIntosh has backed Government proposals to tackle irresponsible dog ownership.

But speaking to Daybreak she expressed concerns that changes would not be acted on quick enough.

She said: "The government should act before an attack happens."

• Politics
• Dogs

A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesman has responded to claims that dog ownership laws are too "limited".

This Government is taking urgent action to protect the public from dangerous dogs.

We are changing the law so that owners can be prosecuted for dog attacks on private property and our anti-social behaviour reforms will give the police and local agencies more effective powers to deal with owners who fail to take responsibility for their dogs.

Read: Family calls for dog law change

• Politics
• Dogs

The chairwoman of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee has warned that the Government needs to strengthen laws on down ownership. Anne McIntosh said:

Eight people, including six children, have died as a result of dog attacks since 2007; annual costs to the NHS of treating dog attack injuries are around £3 million; and some eight assistance dogs and hundreds of livestock are attacked each month.

She added:

The draft Bill's proposals are welcome, but are limited in scope and far short of providing a comprehensive and effective regime for tackling the increasing problem of out-of-control dogs.

Strong measures to prevent dog attacks are conspicuously absent - in particular targeted Dog Control Notices. The Government must bring together the disparate dog control and breeding legislation into a single, comprehensive Act.

Read: Jade Anderson's family call for tougher measures

• Politics
• Dogs

MPs have warned that the Government's moves to tackle irresponsible dog ownership do not go far enough.

Plans to close a loophole which allowed dog owners to escape prosecution if the animal attacked someone in a private property have been announced.

Backed by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, it said the plans fell short of creating a "comprehensive and effective regime for tackling the increasing problem of out-of-control dogs".

Read: Dangerous dogs 'bred for crime'

• Politics
• Dangerous dogs
• Dogs

An eight-week-old puppy had to be rescued by vets after getting its head stuck in the plughole of a kitchen sink.

Tyson's owners took him to the Park Vet Hospital in Leicester, still attached to a sink that had been left out in their garden.

His owner said she couldn't remove the animal, who passed out during the ordeal, because "his ears fold the other way".

But vets were able to gently free the Rottweiler-German Shepherd cross, who has made a full recovery.

Watch the full report on ITV Central.

• UK
• dogs

A dog is recovering at a vet's practice after swallowing a silver dessert spoon.

Scooby the Labrador was given emergency surgery after he consumed the cutlery while at home in Kent.

Watch the full report on ITV Meridian.

• UK
• Dogs

A seal has been captured on video playing with a dog on the banks of the Thames.

The footage, shot by owner Nicola White near Greenwich, shows the seal and dog happily interacting for around 5 minutes.

• UK
• Seal
• Dogs