§ Mr. MacleanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will introduce measures to prohibit dogs with a history of aggression which have been deposited in an animal welfare centre from being rehoused with members of the public; [81780]
(2) if he will assess the risks to members of the public from animal rescue charities and organisations finding new homes for dangerous dogs. [81772]
§ Mr. George HowarthIt is not in the interests of animal welfare organisations, or the animal for which they are custodians, to attempt to re-house an unsuitable dog. We would expect such organisations to operate responsibly and carry out a behavioural assessment of the dog and the suitability of the intended home before re-housing.
78W
§ Mr. MacleanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with ACPO on the workings of legislation relating to the control of dogs. [81773]
§ Mr. BoatengThere have been no discussions with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) about the workings of dangerous dogs legislation. ACPO is consulted about the terms of any guidance which may be issued about dangerous dogs, most recently in 1997 and 1998.