Anna Firth, Conservative MP for Southend West, is leading a campaign to deal with an “oversight” in the law which she says rejects justice to dog owners if their animals are assaulted and killed by other dogs.
She will utilize a 10-minute guideline movement in the House of Commons on today to promote her Animal Welfare (Responsibility for Dog Attacks) Bill, which looks for to put criminal duty on to the owner of any dog which fatally assaults another.
FIND OUT MORE >> New MP calls for change to Dangerous Dog Act after pet ‘savagely mauled to death’ in Chalkwell
Ms Firth started campaigning on the problem after a man in her constituency, Michael Joannou, concerned her “incredibly distressed” and “inconsolable” and stating his dog Millie had actually been fatally hurt in an attack by another dog Chalkwell Park.
Mr Joannou, 63, informed the PA news firm he took ownership of Millie from his ex-partner Emilie after she passed away.
The campaign for “Emilie’s Law” is targeted at making sure higher legal securities for dog owners, with Ms Firth stating the variety of dog-on-dog attacks has “skyrocketed” in recent years.
She said a liberty of details demand addressed by 28 out of 43 police reveals the variety of tape-recorded dog-on-dog attacks increased from 1,700 in 2016 to 11,559 in 2021, a near seven-fold boost.
Ms Firth likewise said the campaign develops on the tradition of her predecessor, Sir David Amess, who was an active advocate for animal rights prior to he was killed in 2021.
The MP informed PA: “It began with Michael coming through the door, simply ravaged. It touched my own heart as a dog owner myself, however it likewise develops on Sir David’s tradition also.
“So, I started looking into this, and yes, it’s absolutely the case that under current legislation, under the Dangerous Dogs Act, attacks on humans are covered, assistance dogs and guide dogs are covered… nothing for pet dogs.
“This is clearly an oversight because pet dogs are part of the family now.
“It just isn’t right that somebody can irresponsibly allow their dog to actually fatally injure your dog and then there’s just no comeback on that whatsoever.”
She added: “This isn’t about demonising dogs and specific breeds. It’s about actually addressing that this is an animal welfare issue, it’s a dog responsibility issue.”
Ms Firth said her Bill aims to keep the proposed change narrow and focus on fatal dog-on-dog attacks, however included: “In the fullness of time I would hope that this debate would be expanded, because if you do a Google search you will find any number of examples of dogs that are mauled but only with the help of incredibly expert veterinary treatment survive.”
Describing the attack on Millie, Mr Joannou told PA: “It happened in seconds. I was screaming at the owner to remove the dog.
“Somehow the owner did get the dog off. This dog had just come at her – honestly it was like something in the Serengeti.
“When you see a loved one of yours opened up in two and still alive, there’s not a lot worse you can ever experience.”
He said Millie was then taken to the vet where she had to be put down.
“The police couldn’t do anything,” he said, pointing to what he considers to be a gap in the law, and included: “It implies that something you like can be torn apart and killed without any repercussions.
“It’s like middle ages law.
“This country’s law on it is absolutely pathetic. I’m standing up for it because it’s wrong, and what I’m asking for is right.”
