Dangerous and out of control dogs

Information on how to report a dangerous or nuisance dog, and guidance on concerns you may have about a dog's welfare.

If a dog is out of control in a public place, the owner or the person in charge of the dog is guilty of an offence.

If the dog while so out of control injures any person, it would be considered an aggravated offence under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

Report a dangerous dog

All dogs which are dangerously out of control, or have attacked people or animals may be classified as a dangerous dog and must be reported to the police.

If it is a dog that is straying in a public place or highway, that is out of control, and is not accompanied by a responsible person, it should then be reported to us.

Dog welfare concern

If you are concerned over the welfare of a dog, please report this directly to the RSPCA.

Nuisance dog

If a dog is consistently barking, please report this as a noise nuisance.