It is against the law to let a dog be dangerously out of control anywhere, such as:
- in a public place
- in a private place, like a neighbour’s house or garden
- in the owner’s home
The law applies to all dogs.
Dogs that are naturally aggressive or hard to control should be kept on a lead or muzzled in public. Owners of aggressive dogs should be aware of the danger to others and take steps to avoid any incidents.
Out of control
Your dog is considered dangerously out of control if it:
- injures someone
- makes someone worried that it might injure them
A court could also decide that your dog is dangerously out of control if:
- it attacks someone’s animal
- the owner of an animal thinks they could be injured if they tried to stop your dog attacking their animal
Report a dangerous dog
If you are worried about a dangerous dog but it is not an emergency, you can either tell the police using the non-emergency number 101, or report it to us.
Banned dog breeds
The government lists: