The mother of a boy who was killed by a dog has said that dangerous dog laws need "fundamental" changes. On November 8, 2021, 10-year-old Jack Lis from Penyrheol in Caerphilly died after sustaining "catastrophic and unsurvivable" injuries after a dog attack.
The dog named Beast was an American XL Bully, which is a type of breed that has not been banned in the UK. The dog was shot dead by firearm officers following the attack. In June 2022 Brandon Hayden and Amy Salter were jailed for owning or being in charge of the dangerous and out of control dog.
Speaking to BBC Wales Jack's mother Emma Whitfield said she wanted to see change across "the whole spectrum" from breeding to sentencing. She also said that her family had been "devastated" by Jack's death.
"We never expected this to happen at all, and to go from picking him up from school to less than an hour later being told he's gone," she added. "That is something that stays with me every day".
Ms Whitfield was in Westminster with the MP for Caerphilly, Wayne David, to lobby for new laws on dogs. The UK Government has aid that a working group which was looking at ways to reduce dog attacks were due to report later this year.
Emma said: "I'd like to see more changes around breeding so not just anyone can breed dogs." She added that it was not "fair" that "anyone can sell an animal with no prior knowledge or care for who it's going to".
American Bullies are a type of breed that has not been banned in the UK but historically they have been cross-bred with pitbulls which are banned here. Mr David said: "At the moment the law identifies simply four breeds as dangerous dogs. We want a different approach that includes all dogs and focuses on breeding, training, the sale of dogs, and everything concerned with dogs."
Although the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 makes it an offence to allow any dog to be dangerously out of control Emma said she did not think sentencing for the offence was "much of a deterrent to stop people from doing what they're doing". She said: "Feeling the things I've been through and seeing what it's done to my family and his friends, that's got to stop. We can't let this keep happening to other people".
In response a spokesman for the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs told the BBC: "We recently published research examining potential measures to reduce dog attacks and promote responsible dog ownership. Since then we have set up a working group with the police, local authority representatives, and animal welfare stakeholders to advise on how these proposals could work in practice. Recommendations are expected later this year."
Meanwhile the Welsh Government called on the UK Government to "strengthen" the law on dangerous dogs and that responsible dog ownership was "a priority". A spokesman for the Welsh Government said: "Our programme for government includes several measures that will improve standards of dog breeding and keeping in Wales."
READ NEXT:
- TV star Paul O’Grady passes away 'unexpectedly but peacefully' at the age of 67
- Mum of boy killed by dog says she's haunted by last image of him
- Teacher swore at pupils and 'threw chairs off tables', education panel hears
- Former Cardiff Rugby chairman Peter Thomas dies aged 79 as tributes pour in
- Cost of Welsh Government's flagship South Metro rail electrification project soars to £1bn
