Deed Not Breed

That the Parliament notes the 30th anniversary of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, which was introduced by the UK Government; further notes the calls by campaigners and a number of welfare groups, including the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Scottish SPCA), for this to be reviewed and reformed; understands that the Act in its present form requires rescue centres to euthanise those dogs in their care that are proscribed by the Act based on certain physical characteristics identifying them as Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro or American Pit Bull type dogs, regardless of temperament or past behaviour, resulting in any dogs meeting this physical standard open to euthanising or extensive restrictions placed upon them; acknowledges that the Scottish SPCA and others are calling for an alternative approach that relies on identifying dangerous dogs based on their behaviour and temperament, rather than solely their breed or perceived breed, and notes that, in Scotland, the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010 provides for early intervention for dogs exhibiting concerning behaviour with the issuing of a Dog Control Notice to the owner to bring and keep the dog under control; believes that, while protection of the public, including people in the Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale constituency, is of paramount importance, the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 is fundamentally flawed and unjust, and notes the view that there would be benefits to protection of the public, the welfare of dogs and the responsibilities of owners if the Control of Dogs (Scotland ) Act 2010 was more widely publicised.