Forget party politics – the new issue dividing the nation is dog owners.
Surveys show the UK’s dog population has reached a record high of at least 13 million.
And with a steady increase in Britain’s canine pets comes a gulf between the number of owners who believe they are responsible – and the experience of everyone else.
Research by pollster YouGov suggests an overwhelming majority of dog owners (96 per cent) say they are responsible – yet 86 per cent of people have encountered issues including dog mess, dogs jumping up on them without permission and dogs off the lead.
Now the Dogs Trust and RSPCA have launched a national consultation to gather the views of both owners and non-owners on what “responsible” dog ownership means.
The YouGov research found 96 per cent of dog owners consider themselves to be responsible, saying the most important aspects were picking up their dog’s waste in public, ensuring dogs are safe and taken care of, and proper training and socialisation.
But nearly as many people surveyed – 86 per cent – had come across irresponsible dog owners. A quarter said they had witnessed such cases at least once a week.
Some 72 per cent of those reported having seen owners leave dog mess on the ground.
Around one in three reported having seen owners letting their dogs jump up at people and the same proportion had seen owners with their pets off-lead in restricted areas.
A quarter of those who had seen dog owners behaving irresponsibly reported seeing owners ignoring their dogs acting aggressively.
Dog attacks on people, some fatal, are regularly reported, including by XL bullies, a breed banned in 2024 without an exemption certificate.
Last year, figures obtained by The Independent showed there were at least 23,000 reported dog attacks in the first year of the ban.
NHS data shows that the number of dog-related injuries in the UK is growing.
Last week, Ashley Warren was found guilty of owning an XL bully dog that mauled Esther Martin, 68, to death.
But many XL bully owners defended their pets. One, who herself had been attacked, said: “It [dog attacks] is nothing to do with the dogs – it’s 100 per cent owners who buy the breeds as status and mistreat them and then can’t control them.
“If it’s not an XL bully, it will be another dog breed that irresponsible owners will be putting on treadmills to toughen up and turn into an aggressive animal, while all the responsible dog owners and the dogs suffer.
“Any dog can kill, even a chihuahua if it isn’t looked after properly.”
Dogs Trust and RSPCA have created responsible dog ownership guidelines and want local government, police forces and other groups to take note of them.
Samantha Gaines, RSPCA dog-welfare expert said: “This consultation will be invaluable in building a shared understanding of what responsible ownership looks like - from devoted dog owners to those who regularly interact with dogs, and everyone in between - helping us make a positive difference to dog welfare and community safety.”
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