§ Mrs. FyfeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any plans for legislation concerning the control of dangerous animals, whether kept as domestic pets, or for guarding of premises.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 2 February 1990]My right hon. and learned Friend has no such plans at present. There is already a considerable body of relevant legislation, including the Guard Dogs Act 1975, the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 and certain provisions relating to dangerous and annoying creatures in the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, which is currently under review. Most recently the Dangerous Dogs Act 1989 significantly enhanced the powers of the courts to deal with dog owners who fail to exercise proper control over their animals. These provisions, together with the judicious use of byelaws as advocated in our consultation paper, "Action on Dogs", offer considerable scope for more effective control of dangerous animals.