Dangerous Dogs: Children
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made about the [i] effectiveness of the potential means of enforcement of the prohibition on children being left unsupervised with banned breeds, and [ii] the consequences to the dog owner for the child being left unsupervised.
Answered by Stephen Morgan
Enforcement of the Dangerous Dogs Act is a matter for the police, who have existing powers to take action where necessary. These powers apply to all conditions of exemption, including the prohibition on leaving children unsupervised with banned breed dogs, which takes effect from 1 November 2026.
If non-compliance with the condition is identified, they can take enforcement action in line with those powers. This may include seizing a dog and pursuing prosecution of the owner where appropriate.
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