Fourteen dangerous dogs destroyed in Shropshire in three years

West Mercia Police has seized a total of 27 dangerous dogs in the county since 2010. But the numbers of dangerous dogs seized in Shropshire has reduced over the last three years, according to the figures.

A total of 12 dogs were seized under the Dangerous Dogs Act in 2012, eight in 2013 and seven to date in 2014.

The figures – uncovered by a Freedom of Information request by the Shropshire Star – found that so far this year, four dangerous dogs had been destroyed. In 2012 six dogs were destroyed by West Mercia Police and four in 2013.

Police were unable to provide specific figures for how many dog attacks were reported over the three-year period.

Representatives of an animal charity have today called for fresh laws to be brought in to protect people from dangerous dogs, claiming existing legislation does not go far enough.

The Dangerous Dogs Act was passed in 1991 and banned pit bull terriers and three other much rarer breeds. But it was changed in 1997 to allow individual dogs of these breeds to be put on an exemption list, meaning they can be kept under certain conditions.

Under the amended Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, allowing a dog to cause injury can now be punished by up to five years in prison.

Previously, the same charge carried a maximum jail term of two years.

Changes to the Dangerous Dogs Act will also mean dog owners can face prosecution if their dog attacks a person in their home or on any private property, except if they attack a trespasser.

A Dogs Trust spokeswoman said more still needed to be done to protect people from dangerous dogs.

She said: "We do not consider breed specific legislation to be effective and would like to see it repealed."

A spokeswoman for West Mercia Police said: "The police have a responsibility to remove dangerous and prohibited dogs from the wider community or to seek control measures where appropriate.

"Legislation and policy does allow for owners to register and keep dogs in certain circumstances if allowed to do so by the court."

One high profile attack was the case of Jade Anderson, a 14-year-old girl who was savaged by four dogs in a house in Wigan last year – suffering "horrific" injuries "from head to toe" – while she stayed with a friend during the half-term school holidays.

The dog's owner Beverley Concannon was handed a suspended prison sentence and banned from keeping dogs indefinitely.

According to the National Animal Welfare Trust, under the terms of the Act a dog doesn't have to bite to be deemed dangerous in the eyes of the law

If the dog does not bite but gives the person grounds to feel that the dog may injure them, the law still applies.