The peak of the UK lambing season (March – April) is a time of concern for many dog owners, with police statistics showing that 89% of recorded cases of livestock worryingly occurred when the dog owner was not present. There are now 2.2m new dog owners in the UK following lockdown and dog attacks on livestock are compared to last year, according to figures from The NFU Mutual.
There has also been an increasing number of media reports of dog attacks in public areas. Whilst many of these have been inflicted on other dogs, there have also been cases of fatally wounded swans and the plight of ‘Freddie the Seal’, who was euthanised after being savaged on the banks of The Thames.
These tragic incidences are predicted by animal behaviourists to rise post-lockdown as socialisation amongst dogs becomes more common and territorial behaviours increase after prolonged time spent with just their owners and family.
Law firm, Slater Heelis, , is offering advice to dog owners and warning them of the possibility of difficult and potentially expensive personal injury and property damage claims, if they do not control their dog’s aggression.
Rachel Fletcher, Partner & Head of Crime and Regulatory at Slater Heelis, says: “It’s against the law to own a dog that acts dangerously and there’s a lot of confusion about the serious legal implications of harming someone’s pet, livestock or another person. Whether you're in your neighbour's garden, a public space or even in your own home, it's your responsibility to control your dog. No matter what breed you own.
“When it comes to dangerous dog offences, it doesn’t matter if your dog is mature or a puppy, or if they’ve never behaved in that way before. The confusion over these points of law is all too often why dangerous dogs cases can result in convictions that seem incredibly unfair.
“Under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, dog owners can face unexpected consequences. For instance, if your dog attacks a guide dog, you could be prosecuted for a hate crime. Or, if your dog upsets livestock, a farmer could be legally entitled to kill them. With so many loopholes to navigate, speaking to an experienced solicitor is essential.”
John Walker-Lee, Executive Director Claims & Underwriting at Agria Pet Insurance, says: “Having pet insurance that includes cover for Third Party Liability is essential. If your dog injures a person, another animal or destroys property, you may be liable for damages. These types of claims are the biggest claims that you could ever face as a dog owner, which is why, for example, the Third Party benefit we offer provides up to £3m of cover. This cover is there should an owner need to claim for the costs associated with their dog attacking another dog, farm livestock or a person, or if they caused a road accident by running in front of a car, for example.
"Where an accident caused by a dog results in life-changing injuries, the total costs to the owner could easily run into millions of pounds, and without insurance, the owner would be liable to pay these costs themself."