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, for example 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 in public, or muzzled. 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 either of the following apply:

• 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

You can report a dangerous or out of control dog to:

• us by completing our online form
• the police by calling 101

Banned dog breeds

The government sets out:

• which dog breeds are banned
• what to do If you have a banned dog