DDA Watch Exempted Dog Campaign:
To: The Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss, Secretary of State for the Environment and Lord de Mauley, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for natural environment and science. DEFRA, 16th February 2015. Dear Lord de Mauley and Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss, Regarding Statutory Instruments, 2015 no 138. The Dangerous Dogs Exemption Schemes (England and Wales) Order 2015 The amendment to the Dangerous Dogs Act (1991) which has been orchestrated to come into force on 3rd March 2015, having been made on 4th February and laid before parliament on 10th February, will undoubtedly cause the deaths of many innocent and much loved exempted family pet dogs. We understand Statutory Instruments are normally drafted by the legal office of the relevant government department. And quote: ‘Consultations often take place with interested bodies and parties.’ Therefore we assume the public is not aware that a Statutory Instrument is about to be applied to existing legislation and more importantly, the public is not able to give an opinion before an amendment via Statutory Instrument has taken place. When Statutory Instruments are applied to other legislation, it may not cause emotional and physical distress or damage to a sentient being. However, in the case of legislation for exempted dogs, those which are already deemed not to be a danger to public safety by court order; you are surely aware that by removing the option to substitute a person in charge (change keepership) other than in the drastic circumstances given in SI number 138, i.e. serious illness or death of the appointed person, this thoughtless and unfair amendment to the implementation of existing breed specific legislation leaves registered dog owners and keepers in many situations with no legal means to save a beloved pet dog's life, if they should no longer be able to care for the dog, temporarily or long term. Many exempted pet dogs will be affected by this draconian ‘add on’ to the existing legislation and they will die through no fault of their own, simply because of a needless, cruel and heartless change which serves no purpose with regard to public safety and will restrict further the already restricted dogs which have earned their place on the Index of Exempted Dogs operated by DEFRA. Indeed, this amendment flies in the face of the United Kingdom’s Animal Welfare Act which is known worldwide for its compassionate purpose towards maintaining humane care of the nation’s companion pets. SI 138 is undoubtedly powered by a lack of care, lack of knowledge and indifference towards the plight of those who will be inhumanely affected by such oppressive and perverse legislative jargon. After 3rd March 2015, will you have the courage of your convictions and personally oversee the euthanasia of each faithful exempted pet dog failed by SI 138? If you could see the confused, sad eyes of a much loved canine family member and feel the final trusting lick of friendship on your hand as a lethal injection is administered by a vet - surely you could not be so callous as to follow through with this dreadfully unfair amendment to an already barbaric and unreasonably harsh act of law…could you? Breed Specific Legislation must be repealed and until that day, fair keepership of exempted dogs must remain, in order to save the lives of those innocent canines which have not put a paw wrong. Yours sincerely, DDA Watch Volunteers.
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An Open Letter:
