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<p>The Dangerous Dogs Exemption Schemes (England and Wales) Order 2015 recognises
that owning and keeping a prohibited dog is a significant responsibility. These dogs
are bred for fighting and Parliament has agreed that there should be restrictions
and conditions on their ownership in order to protect public safety. The court plays
an important role in determining whether a prohibited dog is a danger to public safety
and must take into account whether the person intending to be in charge of the dog
is a fit and proper person. The expectation of Parliament is that the person approved
by the court will have day-to-day responsibility for the dog. There is a limit on
how long a prohibited dog can be kept away from its home under the supervision of
the person approved by the court. This ensures that the dog is kept in suitable accommodation
at premises known to the police and is under the supervision of the court-approved
person at all times.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>A public consultation exercise
on a package of measures aimed at promoting more responsible dog ownership ran from
23 April to 15 June 2012. This included aspects of the 2015 Order including provisions
to enable seized suspected prohibited dogs not considered by the police to be a danger
to public safety to be returned to their owner, subject to conditions, pending a court
judgment on the fate of the dog. These provisions were widely supported. The keepership
elements the 2015 Order return the law more closely to the position agreed by Parliament
before the judgment in</p><p> </p><p>R (Sandhu) v Isleworth Crown Court [2012] and
address issues of public safety. The police were consulted on these provisions. Dogs
Trust was consulted on the changes relating to insurance of owners of prohibited dogs.</p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In its response to the EFRA Committee pre-legislative scrutiny
report of the Dangerous Dogs (Amendment) Bill, the Government made clear it would
be bringing forward an Order to prescribe the limited circumstances when transfer
of keepership of a prohibited dog is permitted. The issue was also covered in the
fact sheets accompanying the Anti-social Behaviour Crime and Policing Bill during
its passage through Parliament.</p><p> </p>
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