Dogs are lovely animals. They are considered to be the best friends of humans. However, controlling your dog is essential both lawfully and ethically. If your dog bites another person and causes injury, the person may hire personal injury lawyers in Scotland and make a claim against you. Therefore, as a dog owner, it is your legal duty to control your pet. This blog will discuss different dog laws that you need to be aware of.
In 2006, The Animal Health & Welfare Act introduced a list of laws that direct dog owners to control their dogs. As per the Government of Scotland, the following laws will affect dog owners.
Contents
1992 – CONTROL OF DOGS ORDER
Every dog owner must tie a collar on their dog with a tag. The tag should mention the name and address of the owner.
2003 – DOG FOULING ACT
It is the duty of the dog owner to pick up the faeces of the dog from public places. If a dog owner fails to follow this law, they may face severe fines. Scotland is a beautiful and clean place. Roads and other public properties are kept neat and clean. It is the duty of every citizen to maintain the beauty of this country. That’s what this law imposes. As a dog owner and a Scottish citizen, it is your duty to take care of your dog and clean its faeces.
1990 – ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT
This law talks about stray dogs and lost dogs. If a local authority finds your dog alone in the street, the authority will search for the owner for seven days. Within seven days, if the owner is not identified, the dog may send to a re-homing agency or destroyed.
As a dog lover, you should always take care of your dog and keep an eye on it. It is good if you tie a collar with your name and address on it so that the authority can identify you if the dog is lost.
1953 – PROTECTION OF LIVESTOCK: DOGS
This law prevents dog owners from allowing their dogs to attack or chase the livestock in agricultural lands. A dog in agricultural land must always be in close control, or it should be kept on a lead. You could face serious consequences if you fail to control your dog and the dog attacks or chase the livestock.
1991 – DANGEROUS DOGS ACT & 1871 – DOGS ACT
According to these two acts, the dog owner must have full control of their dogs. According to the law, the dog is “under control” if held on a lead by an individual who is an expert in controlling the dog. If your dog gets out of control and injures someone, you as the owner may face a fine or imprisonment. As per the Dangerous law act, it is illegal for anyone to own some dog breeds. These dog breeds include:
- Fila Brasileiro
- Dogo Argentino
- Japanese Tosa
- Pit Bull Terrier
1975 – GUARD DOGS ACT
People who are responsible for guard dogs should keep their dogs under control and secured at all times. If you own a guard dog in your home, you should display a warning sign at your doorstep and on all entrances to guarded premises.
Guard dogs are trained to protect the territory, and they would attack anyone who they think are the intruders. To prevent unfortunate events, always keep an eye on the guard dogs. If possible, keep them secured so that they don’t accidentally hurt someone close to you.
THE BOTTOM LINE
There is no denying that dogs are the best friends of humans. They become a part of our family, and most of us keep our dogs as our sons and daughters. However, it is crucial to train them properly. Make sure that the dog listens to you and you have full control over it. If your dog hurts anyone, then you would be held responsible for this.
As a citizen of Scotland, read these dog laws and make sure you follow all of them. So that you can enjoy quality time with your dog as well as the people in your surrounding are protected from your dog.
