Dog Magazine dot net - free online dog magazineby K9 Magazine, the lifestyle magazine for dog lovers

Lord Baker, the former Home Secretary who introduced the widely criticised Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 legislation has told the BBC that he believes “certain dogs are dangerous by nature”. Coming from a man that refers incorrectly to German Shepherd dogs as Alsatians, this will be a hard pill to swallow for the many who have been campaigning for tougher restrictions on dog ownership, rather than a blanket ban on dogs of a certain breed or type.

Lord Baker made the claim during an interview with BBC Radio Five Live, where he condemned the giving of anti-social behaviour orders to irresponsible dog owners, complaining that it was a “ridiculous” move, whilst reinforcing his view that some dogs are simply dangerous.

Despite multitudes of behavioural experts and trainers stating to the contrary on numerous occasions, Baker is sticking to his assertion. An assertion which is apparently shared by Dublin city councillors, who are currently banning the ownership of eleven breeds of dog, of which there is no evidence to suggest that if properly trained, are any more dangerous than any other breed.

Baker’s remarks have drawn criticism from many involved in the welfare of dogs, including Caroline Kisko of the Kennel Club, who told the BBC that the peer’s remarks were “inaccurate”.

It seems that Lord Baker is opposed to putting the responsibility on the shoulders of the dog owners and would prefer that certain breeds of dog are banned outright. He told the BBC that the Kennel Club were “watering down the law” by placing blame on dog owners rather than dogs.

He continued “The (Dangerous Dogs) act should now be fully implemented to ensure we are safe from pit bull terriers and pit bull terrier types - these dogs that are bred to kill.”

Lord Baker recently stated that he would also “like to see Alsatians and Rottweilers muzzled in public.” Despite their being no such breed as an Alsatian, Lord Baker is insistent that they are dangerous. German Shepherd Dogs, which are sometimes incorrectly referred to as ‘Alsatians’ are commonly used by the police and security forces. 

Are Kenneth Baker’s remarks likely to damage the hard work done in fighting the dangerous dogs problem? Or is he right, are some dogs simply bred to be dangerous?
 

Author Details
I am K9 Magazine's managing editor and am always interested to hear from anyone with an interesting story to tell. - See this author's webpage

Popularity: 5% [?]