North-East MSP deems number of dog attacks across Scotland a "national crisis”

MSP for North East Liam Kerr has called on the Scottish Government to enforce new laws to prevent the growing number of dog attacks across the country. Speaking at the Scottish Parliament last Tuesday (October 1st) debating the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010, Kerr, quoting MSP Alex Rowley called the situation a "national crisis", referring to statistics which estimate 5000 people across Scotland are bitten by dogs each year; it was mentioned during the debate that Dr. Alasdair Corfield of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine had claimed the figure of 5000 was likely to be an underestimate.

Liam Kerr speaking at the Scottish Parliament

Mr. Kerr said recent testimonies of dog attacks he had heard were "among the most powerful and harrowing testimony that I have ever heard" and spoke of a testimony he could not bring himself to recall.

Drawing attention to the risk posed to mail and delivery workers by dangerous dogs, Kerr said: "last year, I joined an Aberdeen postie on his round. He told me that, in one stair that he delivered to, there was a known aggressive and violent dog that charged at the door and tried to attack him each time he delivered.

"Eventually, the door happened to be ajar and this man, who was doing his job, was brutally attacked, which led to extensive time off work, post-traumatic issues and surgery.

"Donald Cameron brought up the Communication Workers Union’s evidence that there were 250 dog attacks on postal workers in Scotland last year, and that 2,500 postal workers have been attacked in Scotland since the 2010 act came into force."

The MSP went on to make the case for an increase in public knowledge about current dog laws and the 2010 act, saying: "the public at large have no idea of the legislation".

In March, Airdrie and Shotts MSP Alex Neil accused the government of "complacency about the problem and a total lack of leadership on the part of the justice department”, demanding the issue is made a priority.

In his closing statement, Kerr insisted that the debate at Holyrood should trigger action, drawing attention to the length of time the concerns had been debated compared to how little legislative change had been made: "the time for talking is long past; the time for action is now".