There have been many examples of irresponsible dog ownership for many years but especially lately - dog attacks on people, dog attacks on other animals, dog fouling public spaces causing potential health issues and negative impacts on other people using those public spaces and dogs welfare suffering under irresponsible owners/breeders and/or owners who don’t understand their dogs behaviour/communication/needs. 

I feel there is a need now for the laws surrounding dog ownership to change drastically. There are many dog owners who are responsible and take the time to train their beloved pet and to learn to understand their dogs needs, but sadly in the wrong hands the dogs can suffer and can cause suffering too. 

• I feel there should be a ban on people breeding dogs. Only fully licensed, registered, trained and vetted people (through a local council for example) can breed dogs who are educated on what breeding means and restricted breeding to control the number of dogs and therefore prevent unwanted dogs who can’t be homed. This will hopefully lessen suffering among dogs who have been bred poorly, live in terrible conditions and end up discarded or in shelters. Hopefully this will also make it harder for irresponsible people to own a dog. 
  
  
• A process of registering an interest in owning a dog before acquiring a dog where the potential owner has to undergo education in what responsible dog ownership is - understanding dog behaviour, understanding breed specific traits and behaviour for the particular dog looking to be taken on, understanding dog etiquette and the importance of leading a dog whilst walking through fields with farm animals or around other dogs, picking up after your dog etc. 

• once an owner has completed this process and acquired a dog it should then be mandatory that the owner and dog are to attend dog behaviour and training classes (that they themselves pay for) and have their dog microchipped, insured, neutered and pay an annual license. 

Dogs are amazing animals and provide fantastic companionship for many many people but to share one’s life with a dog is an honour and a privilege and also a responsibility and commitment. They deserve to be treated with the utmost respect and dogs and other people shouldn’t suffer because of people not taking dog ownership seriously.