Fee hike 'may see dogs abandoned'

There are fears that more dogs could be abandoned

A ten-fold increase in the cost of a dog licence from £5 to £50 could lead to a rise in the number of abandoned dogs, Ian Paisley Jnr has said.

The DUP MLA said since the planned increase was revealed he had been "inundated" by calls from dog owners.

Mr Paisley said more dogs could be abandoned if owners were "unwilling or unable to meet these charges".

"Furthermore, we strongly believe that there should be special measures for senior citizens," he said.

The proposals go out to consultation next month and June 2010 is the target date for their introduction.

The new Dog Control Order would also force owners to microchip their pets at a cost of £20-£30.

For the first time there would be a offence involving dog on dog attacks and will have to be kept on leads in public places.

This, for me, is about tackling the people who have dogs who use them as a method of control and who have dogs that are maybe intimidating people in a housing estate or an area and trying to ensure responsible dog ownership Michelle Gildernew Agriculture minister

Mr Paisley, who is the chair of the Stormont Agriculture Committee, said he had been lobbied by members of dog walking groups, who believe the new laws would actually have "a detrimental impact not only on dog owner responsibilities, but also on those people who would find themselves unable to pay these new licensing charges".

He said there were parts of the laws he would support, which deal with the safety of the public and dog owners themselves, especially against aggressive dogs.

Agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew said that the current fee was simply too low.

"It is widely acknowledged as being too low, it doesn't send out a signal of responsible dog ownership and it doesn't give councils the resources they need to properly control any dog related issues," she said.

She said they have suggested exemptions for elderly people, those on low incomes and discounts for neutered animals.

Ms Gildernew added that for some elderly people in isolated areas a dog was a "necessity" and helped guard them.

"This, for me, is about tackling the people who have dogs who use them as a method of control and who have dogs that are maybe intimidating people in a housing estate or an area and trying to ensure responsible dog ownership," she said.

There is no dog licensing scheme in the rest of the UK and in the Republic a license costs 12 euros.

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