26/09/2021
At Trevor Cooper's Doglaw Seminars the law on collar & tag usually creates a bit of a stir! And now we see that it has also become a bit of a news item as well, so it's great that the dog owning public is discovering that this identification requirement is still the law. It is from the Control of Dogs Order 1992 which requires that when a dog is on a highway or a place of public resort it shall wear a collar with the name and address of the owner inscribed on it or on a plate or badge attached to it.
Prosecutions are very rare, but we take the view that it is about the benefit of compliance rather than the detriment of enforcement. Complying means that you are increasing your chances of a lost dog being reunited with its owner.
We take the view that a harness is a form of a collar. There has never been a prosecution that we are aware of when someone has used a harness rather than a collar.
There are a few exemptions which apply (which include when a dog is being used for agility or for the driving/tending of cattle or sheep). Even if you have a long address or a long name there really is no excuse for failing to comply. We appreciate that some dog owners are reluctant to have their address displayed - all we can suggest is that if you don't like this particular requirement you should speak to your MP as it is Parliament that has the power to amend the law.
