Star comment: No place for attack dogs on our streets

And yet that regulation is welcomed as it seeks to make our society safer.

There should be tighter laws but we should also, as a society, question why it is that certain people feel they need to literally arm themselves with a dog that offers nothing more than threat and aggression?

These dogs are a living and breathing version of a knife in the pocket - they are there, in the eyes of those who own them, to offer protection and also a threat to rivals.

Many groups will say that it is not the dog that is vicious, but the owner. That may be true, but it is clear that certain breeds - the American Bully especially - are inherently aggressive. It is time to be decisive and to rid our streets of dogs that are liable to attack. If that upsets some groups, then so be it.

If dogs are put down, it is better to make that decision now that witness the abject horror of other innocent victims being attacked.

The vast majority of dog owners are responsible. Dogs can be wonderful companions and are an asset to our society in so many ways. They are rightly described as being man’s best friend.

But there should be no place for attack dogs and it is clear that such breeds as Bully XL have slipped beneath the radar and are a danger. The regulations should be updated to reflect the times. Quite simply, there is no place for attack dogs in a civil society.

There will be sorrow for a small number of decent owners, but our streets must be safe.

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