The Dangerous Dog Act

Under the original 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act the list of banned breeds or so called 'dangerous breeds' was as follows:

Pitbull

Japanese Tosa

• Any Dog known as a Pitbull type
• Japanese Tosa
• Any dog known to be bred for fighting, or having the appearance of having been bred for fighting.

The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 was then amended in August 1991 to include additional breeds of “dangerous dogs”.  Under the amendment the following dog breeds were added:

• Dogo Argentino
• Fila Brasileiro

Fila Brasileiro

Dogo Argentino

and under this act a judge had no option but to order the destruction of the dog if there were grounds to do so.  However due to the judiciary system this had to be amended in 1997 to say that it mainly centers on dog destruction orders.

However surely any case should be judged on the deed rather than the breed.
As what do we class as a dangerous dog? All dogs can bite.  So technically ALL dogs are dangerous.

No domesticated dog breed is inherently vicious.  The single biggest factor that makes a dog aggressive is the training it receives.

I feel the problem with this Act is that even after all of these breeds have been destroyed.  People who train dogs to be aggressive and fight will just turn to different breeds, such as the Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, German Shepherds and many more and they to will be added to the list and many more innocent pets who belong to responsible pet owners will be destroyed through no fault of their own or their owners. As RSPCA veterinary surgeon Mark Evans says:

“Staffies have had a terrible press, but this is not of their own making, in fact they are wonderful dogs. If people think that Staffies have problems, they are looking at the wrong end of the dog lead! When well cared for and properly trained they can make brilliant companions. Our experience suggests that problems occur when bad owners exploit the Staffie’s desire to please by training them to show aggression.”

The problem of dangerous dogs remains with the irresponsible dog owners and not the dogs themselves.
Animal attacks can also be reduced in the first place by:

•  not leaving children alone with animals. NO MATTER HOW SAFE YOU THINK THE ANIMAL IS.  This is the main cause of animal attacks. 

• Do not reward an animal for showing any kind of aggressive behaviour. 

I feel that the law should judge by the deed rather than the breed and address the problems created by irresponsible dog owners rather than the breed of the dog because there is no breed of dangerous dog, just irresponsible and dangerous owners.

Gum Disease in Pets

I felt obliged to do a post on this after attending an eye-opening talk at my local vets on dental health. It is a little known fact that 4/5 pets over the age of 3 suffer from some degree of dental disease which leads to pain and suffering.

As humans we brush our teeth to keep them healthy around twice a day, floss, use mouthwash and go for dental check ups regularly.  However, these 'homecare' methods for reducing dental disease in humans are often overlooked in pets when really their oral needs are very similar to a humans.

A pet will first develop a condition called gingivitis due to the build up of plaque which causes inflammation and infection of the gums.  After this the pet will develop periodontitis which is when the problem spreads below the gum line.  Periodontitis is separated into 4 stages:

Stage 1: (gingivitis)
 Bad breath is present and there is redness at the gum line.

Stage 2: (advanced gingivitis) 
Inflammation of gums and plaque and calculus present above and below gum line.

Stage 3: (periodontitis)
 Slight tooth mobility may be present, calculus, pocket formation and inflammation.

Stage 4: (advanced periodontitis) 
Marked supporting bone loss, loose teeth, and gum recession.


Stage 1 and 2 can be reversed with professional cleaning and adequate home care. However at Stage 3 and 4, tooth extraction may have to be done and the condition can only be halted rather than reversed. 


So home care is the best way to prevent all of this happening in the first place.  Home care includes:


Teeth cleaning: the best possible method of home care-it is better than all the other home care methods put together. It is the brushing action that reduces the plaque formation. PLEASE REMEMBER TO USE PET TOOTHPASTE NOT HUMAN TOOTHPASTE as 1. Pets do not tend to like minty flavoured toothpaste and can be put off teeth cleaning. and 2. Fluoride is TOXIC.


Oral Chews: Oral chews do help but the pet has to spend around a few minutes chewing it to gain any benefit so if your dog can demolish a chew in 30 seconds it will have no effect.  Also be careful as if your pet is overweight many chews are high in calories so it would be recommended not to use oral chews if this is the case and to use other methods of home care.


Water supplements: There are supplements on the market to decrease gum disease.


Dental Diets: Although this is not always necessary dental diets do aid in the breakdown of plaque however can be quite expensive.

So remember to take your pet for dental check ups at least annually and keep an eye on the condition of their teeth and gums.  Prevention is always better than cure and starting home care at a young age can be highly rewarding for your pets dental health.