New licence may be way forward
KIRKLEES chief dog warden is calling for a tougher test for would-be dog owners.
Senior animal welfare officer John Stead said he believed owners should have to complete a training course before acquiring their pets.
The former policeman said: "People need to know how to look after their dogs properly.
"People can get hold of dogs too easily. If people had to complete a course before getting a dog it would rule out impulse purchases and make them think of the longer term implications."
Mr Stead, who became a dog warden in 1991, said that some dogs were more dangerous and difficult to look after than others.
He added: "You can have people getting a great dane and they only have a small garden.
"That's fine if they have the time to take the dog out and walk it, but if they don't go out much then the dog is going to have problems.
"People are also cross-breeding dogs such as Staffordshire Bull Terriers to create bigger, more powerful dogs.
"The American Pit Bull is banned in the UK but people are allowed to cross dogs which gets around the rules."
There are strict controls on dogs such as pit bulls, which have to be muzzled and on a lead whenever they are taken out.
Mr Stead said that although the number of dogs being abandoned in Huddersfield had stayed relatively steady, it could be time for a change on a new style dog licence.
He added: "If people had to fill out the equivalent of a V5 as they do for their cars showing ownership and change it when they get rid of the dog then we would know whose dog it was and people would have to be more responsible.
"It could be time for a re-think and taking a look at the laws so it benefits the animals and also responsible dog owners."
