Information, Education & Advice - Helping Dogs In Need
Information, Education & Advice - Helping Dogs In Need
Dog Law - Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 (as amended) Information
Available on PDF for you to print out 
Dangerous Dogs Act-the law I Index of Exempted Dogs I Registration & Exemption I
Legal duties for Certificate of Exemption to remain valid I Muzzle & leash requirements I Transporting on public highway I Third party insurance I DDA Offences I Collar, ID & Leash I Health Insurance I Advice & Help Available
The following information is to help the owners and keepers of dogs registered and exempted under the Dangerous Dogs Act (DDA) 1991 (as amended) legislation.
The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 became law in 1991, it was amended in 1997 and remains in force to this day.
The law prohibits four specific breeds or ‘types’ of dog, these specially controlled dogs, in practice mainly pit bull terrier types, can only be legally owned if they are registered on the Index of Exempted Dogs (IED) and a ‘certificate of exemption’ has been issued to the dog’s owner. Owners must then abide fully with the conditions laid down by the law in order for their certificate of exemption to remain valid and their dog to stay within the law.
For information on the Dangerous Dogs Act law see here.
In 1997 the law was amended enabling a court of law to order a dog to be registered onto the IED as an alternative to destruction. Very few dogs were added to the Index following the Amendment, but over the past two years the numbers have increased, notably in specific areas at present, as the law is being more rigorously enforced.
The IED is managed by the Animal Welfare section of DEFRA & can be contacted by telephone: 07000 783651 or 07721 036354
In reply to a freedom of information request, DEFRA confirmed to us that 185 dogs were added to the IED in 2007 and 331 dogs were added in 2008.
Dog owners & carers can not take their own steps to register a dog with the IED.
If you own a dog, e.g., a type known as a pit bull terrier, which has been ordered by a court to be registered onto the IED, specific conditions will have to be met first (within a designated time) in order to obtain a certification of exemption, these include:
During the registration process, following a court order, dog owners should receive full details from the IED and should contact them directly if you have any questions.
Once the IED is satisfied that these requirements have been met, a certificate of exemption will be issued to you and your dog will be returned home to you, if it has been seized, which is usually the case.
Legal Requirements for Exempted Dogs:
The Certificate of Exemption remains valid for the life of the dog, provided that the requirements attached to it are observed. These requirements include:
Any breach of any of the above requirements will invalidate the Certificate of Exemption.
As the owner of an exempted dog, it is your responsibility to understand and follow the specific rules applicable to your dog now, for the remainder of your dog’s life.
Muzzling and Leash requirements:
Your dog must be muzzled and held on a lead by someone over the age of 16yrs at all times when in a public place (which includes inside your vehicle when it is itself in a public place e.g., on the road).
If you need help with choosing a suitable type of muzzle to fit your dog safely and properly, please contact us.
You will most likely need to train your dog to accept wearing a muzzle if it hasn’t previously worn one and be comfortable in doing so; please read our guide to muzzling your dog for advice and if you have any questions or concerns don’t worry about asking us for help.
A registered dog’s muzzle cannot be removed at any time when in a public place (there any no reasons allowed) if it is - a criminal offence will have been committed.
Owners cannot remove the muzzle to allow their dog to drink or eat if in a public place.
Even if a registered dog is being sick and chocking – there is no defence for removing its muzzle.
For this reason, owners of registered dogs have to take special care to safeguard their dogs welfare; especially where dogs may be ill, have a medical condition e.g., epilepsy, or in the case of older dogs, puppies and other dogs trying to play with another dog when out
and particularly during hot weather.
It is recommended that when your dog is muzzled, the muzzle is of a type that does not inhibit the panting, breathing or drinking of your dog
Please contact us if you need advice.
Transporting your dog on a public highway :
Registered dogs also have to be muzzled and leashed inside your car/vehicle, e.g. on your way home if you collect your dog from the police station, on your way to the vets, to the park etc – AT ALL TIMES.
The High Court has ruled (in 1993) that for the purposed of the Dangerous Dogs Act, the inside of your vehicle is a public place – this means that registered dogs need to be muzzled and held on a leash, by someone over the age of 16yrs, whilst inside your vehicle on the public highway.
Even if you use a dog crate – your dog still needs to be muzzled and leashed.
Do not leave your dog unattended inside a vehicle in a public place.
Third party Insurance:
The compulsory Insurance is mandatory and must be renewed on time each year and must be kept up to date in order to comply with the law. It currently costs £42 pa and cover is provided by Pet Plan via the Index of Exempted Dogs.
You should be notified when your yearly insurance renewal is due.
If you have difficulty paying the cost of your insurance cover- please contact us.
Make sure that your dog leash is in good condition (not excessively worn) and attaches safely to your dog’s collar.
It should be strong enough not to snap if your dog pulls forward suddenly- e.g., seen a squirrel and wants to give chase.
Make sure your dog’s collar fits properly; that it cannot be pulled off over the top of your dog’s head if you dog tries to back out of it but is also not too tight, check that the collar is in good condition and smooth inside so it’s not rubbing your dog’s neck and is fit for its job.
It is also a legal requirement (for all dogs with a few exemptions) on the public highway or in a public place to wear a collar with the name and address of the owner inscribed on the collar or on an ID tag attached to the collar.
This rule also applies to registered dogs - you must still have your name & address on the collar or a name tag even though your dog has a tattoo.
Health cover is difficult, if not impossible to find for exempted dogs. EDDR has contacted several insurance companies and none have provided health cover for registered dogs - if you know of an insurance company which does offer cover for registered dogs, please let us know.
As it is unlikely you will have health cover for your dog, it is advisable to think ahead and work out how you will afford to pay veterinary costs in the event of your dog becoming ill or being injured.
Under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 (DDA), the following provisions and requirements apply to the types of dog that are specially controlled under section 1 of the DDA.
Any person who contravenes any of the following provisions is guilty of an offence;
Remember that the Exemption Certificate and Insurance Certificate should be kept safe in case you need to produce them.
Advice, Help & Support for Exempted Dogs:
EDDR volunteers have worked with registered dogs helping them and their owners since the introduction of the legislation.
We have also ourselves cared for registered dogs, of all ages, which could not be re-homed, dogs which had nowhere to turn as they were subjected to the legislation and labeled 'dangerous'. Due to this practical ‘hands on’ experience with exempted dogs we understand the issues that some owners can come across, we also understand from experience problems which may be encountered by the dogs themselves.
Free help and advice if offered for dogs which have been seized and later returned to their responsible owners via court order - e.g., as registered dogs.
Owners sometimes need help when a pet dog is returned from a kennel environment and support is provided by a dedicated and experienced team. DEFRA confirmed to us that 74 dogs were in the process of being registered as of 26/Feb 2009.
A dog is registered for life & advice has always been and still is available not only when your dog is ordered registered by the court and exempted by the IED but for the rest of your dog’s life.
We are only a phone call away if you need us
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