DARD holds local meetings on dog control legislation

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development wishes to remind all those interested in dog control issues that they still have a chance to attend local consultation events taking place in Enniskillen and Belfast next week.

The aim of the events is to help explain the thinking behind proposed changes to dog control legislation here. These 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 Killyhevlin Hotel, Enniskillen on 18 January 2010; and

The Ramada Hotel, Shaws Bridge, 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 ( http://dardni.gov.uk ) 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 http://www.dardni.gov.uk/index/consultations/active-consultations/dog-control-consultation.htm.

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 office hours, contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 076 9971 5440, and your call will be returned.