Dog owners in the UK risk jail time for failing to follow 20 different laws – or risk a jail sentence.
If they break the rules, which include animal welfare laws, they could face a fine of up to £ 20,000 or even end up in jail.
A BirminghamLive report explains that while the legislation is complex and detailed, there are rules that people must adhere to and this includes everything from keeping dogs happy and healthy to rules related to barking.
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Other laws require dogs to be in someone else’s home or on private property and in public places.
Identification laws, laws related to lost and found or stray dogs, and laws related to dog breeding, sales and road traffic,
Home, someone else’s property, barking
It is illegal to let dogs out of control – be it in your own home or on another property.
Owners can be prosecuted if their dog attacks someone in their home, including in their front and back yards, or on private property such as a pub.
There are also rules for barking. If a dog barks because he’s been home alone for too long or wants attention, it can be a criminal offense.
Your local authority’s environmental health department can formally ask you to stop your dog from continuing the behavior, and if you don’t, they can take your dog away from you.
Welfare
According to Section 9 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, dogs must be kept in an appropriate environment and given appropriate nutrition.
You also need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury, and disease.
Owners can be brought to justice for not properly looking after their pets and facing a prison sentence of up to 51 weeks and a fine of up to £ 20,000.
The legislation also shows that tail docking is illegal.
Previously, Defra had reversed his plan in England to ban e-collars that dogs keep in gardens.
The government has also not put in place a proposed ban on the e-collars used to deter dogs from attacking sheep.
Ear cutting is also illegal.
Public
There are rules for dog poop, not for cleaning up, with fines ranging from £ 100 to £ 1,000 depending on the severity and local authority.
There is no general law that prescribes the keeping of dogs in all public places.
However, there are several ordinances that you must follow based on the rules of the council – including keeping dogs in areas like children’s parks.
If a dog gets out of hand in a public area, the owners face a £ 5,000 fine.
If a dog attacks livestock, dog owners can face a £ 1,000 fine.
Farmers can also execute animals that they believe will harm their livestock.
The rules also contain regulations on collars, tags and microchips.
Dog breeding
There are strict dog breeding laws and rules when selling and buying that must be followed.
It is illegal in both England and Wales to sell a puppy under eight weeks old.
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Selling pets on the street, in pet stores, in markets, or in public places is also illegal.
Illegal breeds of dogs
Some types of dogs are illegal to own, breed, sell, give up, or give away. The four prohibited types are:
Pit bull terrier
Japanese tosa
Argentine Dogo
Braziliero range
Dog walk
Local authorities may occasionally require a dog walking license – but this is at their discretion.
Owners should note that there are also strict day care rules that require a corporate and residential home license.
Home dog retirees need a license if they want to make a profit or earn a commission or fee.
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