Police clamping down on dangerous dogs

SINCE March, officers of the National Police have prosecuted 19 people in Almeria and investigated 67 cases found to be in breach of the regulations governing the possession of potentially dangerous dogs.

In a clamp down throughout the province of Almeria, National Police have been focussing their surveillance on areas frequented by children; for example: beaches, playgrounds and recreational family areas.

The most common flaunters of the law are people with potentially dangerous dogs that do not have the correct paperwork or licensing. All dogs on the formal list are to be muzzled, secured by a leash no greater than one metre in length in public places, and are never allowed in areas frequented by children.

Owners of potentially dangerous dogs are also to have liability insurance for injury to third parties and properties of a minimum value of €175,000. The only people or bodies of people, which are exempt from the regulations, are the Armed Forces, forces of State Security Unit of the National Police assigned to Andalucia, Local Police, and Fire and security companies with official authorisation.

In Andalucia, there are nine breeds on the list of dangerous dogs: American Staffordshire Terrier, Pit Bull Terrier, Doberman, Rottweiler, Akita Inu, Tosa Inau, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasilero. The law also gives the authorities the power to use objectivity to include dogs that “manifest a markedly aggressive nature”.

Owners of all potentially dangerous dogs need to be licensed, and this paperwork is available from the town hall of the municipality in which you live, or in the municipality in which you and your dog work, if that is different. Ask for “licencia para el perro potencialmente peligroso.”

Owners may also be asked to undergo some tests to prove their “physical fitness and psychological ability” to own such an animal according to the Junta de Andalucia.

However, the law does not stop merely at potentially dangerous dogs. All dogs and cats are to be micro chipped for inclusion on the national register. Your vet can help you with this.

A copy of the law is available at 

SINCE March, officers of the National Police have prosecuted 19 people in Almeria and investigated 67 cases found to be in breach of the regulations governing the possession of potentially dangerous dogs.

In a clamp down throughout the province of Almeria, National Police have been focussing their surveillance on areas frequented by children; for example: beaches, playgrounds and recreational family areas.

The most common flaunters of the law are people with potentially dangerous dogs that do not have the correct paperwork or licensing. All dogs on the formal list are to be muzzled, secured by a leash no greater than one metre in length in public places, and are never allowed in areas frequented by children.

Owners of potentially dangerous dogs are also to have liability insurance for injury to third parties and properties of a minimum value of €175,000. The only people or bodies of people, which are exempt from the regulations, are the Armed Forces, forces of State Security Unit of the National Police assigned to Andalucia, Local Police, and Fire and security companies with official authorisation.

In Andalucia, there are nine breeds on the list of dangerous dogs: American Staffordshire Terrier, Pit Bull Terrier, Doberman, Rottweiler, Akita Inu, Tosa Inau, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasilero. The law also gives the authorities the power to use objectivity to include dogs that “manifest a markedly aggressive nature”.

Owners of all potentially dangerous dogs need to be licensed, and this paperwork is available from the town hall of the municipality in which you live, or in the municipality in which you and your dog work, if that is different. Ask for “licencia para el perro potencialmente peligroso.”

Owners may also be asked to undergo some tests to prove their “physical fitness and psychological ability” to own such an animal according to the Junta de Andalucia.

However, the law does not stop merely at potentially dangerous dogs. All dogs and cats are to be micro chipped for inclusion on the national register. Your vet can help you with this.

A copy of the law is available at www.juntadeandalucia.es/boja/2008/47/3 or follow the LINK