§ Lord Baker of Dorkingasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many pit bull terriers have been registered under the provisions of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1989 in each of the last nine years. [HL3638]
§ Lord Bassam of BrightonThe Dangerous Dogs Act 1989 contains no provisions relating specifically to pit bull terriers, or to any other type or breed of dog. It extended powers available to the courts under the Dogs Act 1871 as regards dogs in general which are found to be dangerous, and centrally held information relating to offences under the Act does not identify the type or breed of dog concerned.
Dogs fully exempted from prohibition, under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, as amended, of possession of certain types of fighting dog (almost entirely, but not exclusively, of the type known as pit bull terrier) are registered on the Index of Exempted Dogs. The number of fully exempted dogs registered on the index at the end of each year from 1991 to 1999, is as follows:
Year Exempted Dogs 1991 *2,801 1992 *4,821 1993 4,286 1994 3,825 1995 3,430 1996 3,135 1997 2,841 1998 2,566 1999 2,151 * The 1991 total is less than that for 1992 as owners had a period of time to register exempted dogs after commencement of the 1991 Act. In addition, dogs are not required to be registered until they were seven months old.
§ Lord Baker of Dorkingasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many incidents involving pit bull terriers have been reported in each of the last nine years. [HL3749]
139WA
§ Lord Bassam of BrightonCentrally held data given in the table show the numbers of cautions, prosecutions and convictions under Section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. This section of the Act relates to incidents where dogs have been dangerously
Number of cautions, prosecutions and convictions under Section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 19911 England and Wales, 1991–1999P Offence description Court proceedings 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 Owner or person in charge allowing dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place, injuring any person (s3.1 aggravated offence) Cautions — 21 29 36 43 80 69 78 110 Prosecutions — 310 349 286 259 221 259 434 446 Convictions — 131 138 113 93 70 121 239 261 Owner or person in charge allowing dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place, no injury being caused (s3.1 non aggravated offence) Cautions — 143 148 134 112 44 65 67 67 Prosecutions — 389 302 196 189 162 175 248 245 Convictions — 181 137 81 77 64 88 125 122 Owner or person in charge allowing dog to enter a non-public place and injure any person (s3.3 aggravated offence) Cautions — 5 2 3 5 8 8 5 19 Prosecutions — 20 36 25 23 18 22 28 31 Convictions — 8 8 13 8 6 5 13 18 Owner or person in charge allowing dog to enter a non-public place causing reasonable apprehension of injury to a person (s3.3 non aggravated offence) Cautions — 3 — 6 8 3 5 4 4 Prosecutions — 30 21 8 18 4 10 12 8 Convictions — 10 14 5 8 — 4 8 5 1 Came into force August 1991. P = Provisional.