DARD holds local meetings on dog control legislation

As part of public consultation on proposals to change dog control legislation, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is hosting a number of consultation events.

These will take place in Derry, Armagh, Enniskillen and Belfast. The aim of the events is to help explain the thinking behind the proposed changes – which include the compulsory micro-chipping of pet dogs, an increase in the dog licence fee and introducing control conditions for dog licences to allow early intervention with problem dog behaviour or control.

The meetings will be held at 7.30 pm in:

The City Hotel, Derry on 11 January 2010;

The City Hotel, Armagh on 13 January 2010;

The Killyhevlin Hotel, Enniskillen on 18 January 2010; and

The Ramada Hotel, Belfast on 20 January.

The Department hopes the meetings will also encourage people to respond to the consultation document released in late November, so that the widest range of opinions can be canvassed before policy proposals are finalised.

The consultation period closes on 1 February 2010 and the consultation documents are available on the DARD website  or by calling 028 9052 4654.

Notes to editors:

1. Following a wide-ranging review of dog control legislation here, the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development launched a public consultation on proposals to amend the Dogs (NI) Order 1983 on 23 November 2009.

2. The proposals include:

• Compulsory micro-chipping of dogs;
• The attachment of control conditions to dog licences;
• An increase in the dog licence fee;
• Scope for the licensing in exceptional circumstances of dogs of a prohibited type;
• An increase in the level of fixed penalties for certain offences;
• The payment of fixed penalties to local authorities;
• The introduction of an offence of failing to observe any control condition attached to a dog licence; and
• The introduction of an offence of allowing a dog, or urging it on, to attack another dog.

3. Full details of the proposals are set out in the consultation documents available on-line at the DARD website.

4. Hard copies of the consultation documents can be requested by writing to: Joel Loughridge, The Dog Control Bill Team, DARD Animal Health & Welfare Policy Division, Room 933, Dundonald House, Belfast BT4 3SB or by calling Joel Loughridge on 028 9052 4654.

5. The consultation period closes on 1 February 2010.

6. All media enquiries to DARD Press Office, telephone 028 9052 4619. Out of hours, contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440, and your call will be returned.