Daily dog fight half won

A lengthy union campaign has resulted in new laws in Scotland from February and in Northern Ireland from the end of March, designed to crack down on dangerous dogs and their owners, anywhere, including in their own home.

Adopting a “deed not breed” approach, the new legislation reinforces the responsibility of the owner, who can be held criminally responsible where a dog is found to be dangerously out of control in any place.

The CWU communication workers’ union, whose Bite-Back campaign for reform has been headed by national safety officer Dave Joyce, praised the new laws, but urged prime minister David Cameron to honour his promise to postal workers to bring in similar laws to cover the whole of the UK.

The CWU says that before the election, Cameron wrote to the union promising to “support extending dangerous dogs law to cover all places including private property”.

General secretary Billy Hayes said: “On behalf of our members, and all workers affected by this hazard, we urge our prime minister to remember his promise and honour it without delay.”