Dogs
We love dogs and we know that dogs love the green spaces. Dogs are super welcome with their responsible humans. You know your dog better than anyone and know how friendly and well behaved they will be around other animals. We know that if you have a nervous or reactive dog, you will want to keep them on a lead for their safety. If your good boy or girl likes to run and sniff and play, make sure that they also have good recall, so that if they approach a reactive dog you can call them back safely. Be mindful that not all dogs like to play, be approached or sniffed at by other dogs. Be kind to each other. Dog training is a necessary part of dog ownership, if you see a dog that you don’t know, it is a great idea to give them a wide berth and/or check in with the owner about what interaction might be welcome before approaching. While your dog might be friendly, theirs might not be quite ready for a new buddy! Use common sense and also be aware that not all barking is aggressive, but it can be interpreted as aggressive by a nervous dog. Let’s keep them all happy and safe to enjoy the green spaces and the sniff opportunities within!
Dogs and the law
We hope it never comes to it, but if issues arise, the police may be involved, so it is great to know your rights and responsibilities. This is what the law says…
Out of control
Your dog is considered dangerously out of control if it:
- injures someone
- makes someone worried that it might injure them
A court could also decide that your dog is dangerously out of control if either of the following apply:
- it attacks someone’s animal
- the owner of an animal thinks they could be injured if they tried to stop your dog attacking their animal
Penalties
You can get an unlimited fine or be sent to prison for up to 6 months (or both) if your dog is dangerously out of control. You may not be allowed to own a dog in the future and your dog may be destroyed.
If you let your dog injure someone you can be sent to prison for up to 5 years or fined (or both). If you deliberately use your dog to injure someone you could be charged with ‘malicious wounding’.