The breeds specially controlled by the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 are:
- Pit Bull terrier
- Dogo Argentino
- Fila Brasileiro
- Japanese Tosa
All owners of these breeds must have carried out the following procedures:
- the dog must be registered with their local police station
- the dog must be identichipped
- the dog must be muzzled and kept on a lead when in a public place and kept in charge of a person over the age of 16 years
- the dog must be tattooed on the inner thigh
- the dog must be neutered
- the dog must be covered by third party insurance
- any person not adhering to these laws or found not carrying a certificate of exemption is liable to have their dog seized by the police
A court case will then follow, and if an owner is found guilty of the offence the court can order the dog to be destroyed and sentence the owner to six months in prison and/or a fine not exceeding £2,000.
The act also applies to other breeds.