Irish Mirror readers want tougher laws on restricted dogs in Ireland following a brutal attack by a pitbull that left a nine-year-old boy in Wexford with serious facial injuries.
Our poll on Tuesday asked readers if they would support tougher dog control laws and after almost 2,000 votes, an overwhelming 86% majority voted in favour of more controls.
The poll comes after nine-year-old Alejandro Mizsan was set upon and attacked by a pitbull, which is currently on Ireland's restricted list, and left with life-altering injuries.
Read More : Mum of boy mauled by dog in Wexford 'hasn't stopped crying' since horror attack
The young boy was playing on a green area of the Old Forge Road estate in Enniscorthy when the attack took place. The boy remains in Crumlin Children’s Hospital - where he is expected to stay for at least a month - after undergoing two surgeries.
The dog involved in the incident has since been destroyed and a man in his 20s has been arrested in connection with the vicious attack.
No breeds are currently banned for pet owners in Ireland but a lengthy list of dog breeds are bound by tight restrictions, including pitbulls and rottweilers.
The full list of restricted dog breeds in Ireland is:
- American Pit Bull Terrier
- English Bull Terrier
- Staffordshire Bull Terrier
- Bull Mastiff
- Dobermann Pinscher
- Rottweiler
- German Shepherd (Alsatian)
- Rhodesian Ridgeback
- Japanese Akita
- Japanese Tosa
- Ban dog – a so called ban-dog is a cross of any of the above breeds mentioned or any strain of the above dogs listed
The Control of Dogs Regulations 1998 law states that all of these dog breeds must be muzzled in public and controlled on a lead no more than two metres long.
The law says: "The leash must be ‘sufficiently strong’ or it needs to be a chain. Dogs must wear a collar at all times with the owners information on it. This information should include owners name and address."
The dogs on this list can also only be led by people over the age of 16.
Some exceptions exist to The Control of Dogs Regulations, and are outlined in the law.
Most of these exceptions pertain to law enforcement, border protection, or other essential services. The exceptions to these rules include:
- Dogs kept by Garda Síochana / the Defence Forces,
- Dogs kept by the Dublin Port / Docks Board Harbour Police / any Airport
- Police / Fire Service at a State Airport.
- Dogs kept by the Central Fisheries Board or a Regional Fisheries Board,
- Dogs kept by the Customs and Excise service of the Revenue Commissioners,
- Dogs properly used in the search and rescue of a missing person.
If you need to report a dog in your area which is posing a threat to children, or adults, you can find all the information you need here.
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