People unaware of dog laws

Police officers do not all know about dog control legislation introduced by Holyrood almost a decade ago, MSPS have been told.

Christine Grahame was the backbencher responsible for the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010. The legislation was brought in to make sure “dogs which are out of control are brought and kept under control”.

The legislation introduced dog control notices – dubbed “dog Asbos” – which could require owners to take steps such as muzzling their animals in public or taking them to training classes.

Almost ten years after the legislation was brought in, MSPS on the Scottish Parlia- 0 Christine Grahame is the MSP behind the dog laws

ment’s public audit and postlegislative scrutiny committee are looking at it to see if it could be improved. Ms Grahame said many people did not know the law existed. “Public knowledge of the legislation is a huge issue,” she said.