In today’s news was a report that the owner of two out of control dogs was jailed for 12 months after the dogs savaged ten people in an “horrific and nightmarish” street attack. The owner of the two Staffordshire Bull Terrier crosses, an unemployed father of one aged 22 years (says it all really), had a string of previous convictions for various offences and the dogs had already attacked another person several weeks earlier as they “marauded around the area” of St Leonards on Sea, Sussex.

It’s good that such an objectionable example of our underclass has been jailed and good too that the Government has recently put in place stronger punishments for crimes committed by owners of dangerous dogs though in my view it is nearly always the fault of the owner rather than the dog – Staffordshire Bull Terriers, if well trained and looked after, are no more dangerous than most domestic dogs. However, the Government has not, in my opinion, gone far enough and has missed an obvious opportunity to limit this kind of incident.

Years ago dog owners were required to have licences to own their pets. The licence cost a nominal amount and had the effect of registering ownership and creating some sort of responsibility for dog ownership. Now, I’m not normally one to advocate an increase in bureaucracy but dog licensing is an exception and should be brought back immediately. A fee of say £50 (with certain exemptions for the elderly and disabled for example) would encourage responsible dog  ownership and would also act as a deterrent to some of the more undesirable members of society.