Dangerous Dogs: An analysis of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 and Breed-Specific Legislation. Are We Barking up the Wrong Tree?

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The enactment of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 is an example of a reactive introduction of legislation in response to a series of dog attacks that year. In September 2023, the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, announced that the Government would again be taking action to ban an additional dog breed type by the end of 2023 in another reactive action. The proposal to add the American Bully XL breed type to the list of banned breeds detailed in S.1 Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 came into force on 31 December 2023. No other proposals for reform of the Act have been suggested to date. This article will explore the legislative amendments and consider whether the Government's recent reform is sufficient to adequately protect the public from dangerous dogs and dog attacks.