MSPs 'appalled' at Glasgow City Council dog control figures
Figures which show Glasgow City Council has issued no Dog Control Notices in the last three years are being branded 'appalling' by MSPs.
Figures which show Glasgow City Council has issued no Dog Control Notices in the last three years are being branded 'appalling' by MSPs. Clyde News discovered through a Freedom of Information requests that in the years 2015, 2016 and 2017 zero DCNs were issued to owners. It is despite an increase in the number of people being attacked and hospitalised by dogs in the city.
Former Social Justice Secretary Alex Neil will now write to Glasgow City Council asking why the Control of Dogs Act is not being enforced in the area. It is the second letter the local authority will receive on the issue.
Following our Lead the Way campaign Public Safety Minister Annabelle Ewing wrote to all of Scotland's 32 councils asking what they are doing to protect people from dog attacks.
"It’s absolutely appalling and totally unacceptable" - Alex Neil
Mr Neil is part of a Holyrood committee, which will look at the findings of our 'Lead the Way' campaign in the coming weeks. The Public Scrutiny and Post-Legislative Review board is expected to open a review of the 2010 legislation and issue a call for evidence.
He said: “It’s absolutely appalling and totally unacceptable. Particularly when you look at the hospital admissions for attacks in Glasgow. It clearly indicates there is a major problem and I hope the new SNP administration will rectify this.
“This is about the protection of children and people who are going about their business. It is about time Glasgow started doing the same as the rest of the country and got this law enforced.
“It’s absolutely ridiculous that they only have one part-time dog warden given the size of Glasgow. It makes up about 10% of the population and to only have one part time warden in unacceptable.”
The figures are for the years, 2015, 2016 and 2017. So far in 2018, the local authority has issued one Dog Control Notice.
The Scottish SPCA backs our campaign. Their chief superintendent Mike Flynn said: “It comes as a bit of a shock that one of the highest populated council regions has not issued 1 notice in three years.
“There must have been something in that time that would have deserved a Dog Control Notice to have been issued. If anyone turns round to tell me there has been absolutely nothing in three years, I will be astounded.
“The Control of Dogs Act has everything it needs; it’s just not being enforced.
“I’m not blaming anyone on the front line but they’re just not trained properly and that clearly isn’t a priority for local authorities.”
A spokesman for the council said: “We are fully aware of our responsibilities in respect of the control of dogs legislation.
“We have now taken on a specialist dog control officer who is helping us deal with all the dog control complaints we have received so far this year.
“We will always investigate a complaint where we have sufficient information to do so.
“We will take appropriate action in line with the specific circumstances of an individual case, which may involve issuing warnings or, if necessary, a dog control notice."