§ 7. Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied with the operation of the law regarding stray dogs; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. SharplesThe police do what they can to enforce the law on stray dogs but they have many other and more pressing duties.
§ Mr. JannerWhile I accept, to some extent, the hon. Gentleman's answer, is it not true, nevertheless, that there are about 100,000 stray dogs loose in the country at any one time? To many people, this is a serious problem, especially at holiday times when dogs are dumped on our roads. Many people do not regard this as a laughing matter. They feel that the law should be enforced and that the person who dumps a dog should never again be granted another dog licence.
§ Mr. SharplesI accept that this is a serious matter, and the hon. Gentleman was quite right to point out on the wireless this morning that Section 1 of the Abandonment of Animals Act, 1960, makes it an offence for an owner to abandon an animal, whether permanently or not, in circumstances likely to cause suffering.
§ Mr. RedmondDoes my hon. Friend agree that the Abandonment of Animals Act may apply to the unfortunate stray dog named "Sandy" which appears to have been left at Chequers by the previous occupant?