Help needed in Merseyside

Question:
This is crossposted with Permission.

As you may have read elsewhere, the Merseyside Dog Amnesty is starting tomorrow in Liverpool.

Below I have attached an important Press Release from the Deed Not Breed organisation but before reading that can I make a plea on behalf of Deed Not Breed?

Help is urgently needed in the liverpool area, with handing out leaflets and putting up posters etc. It is imperative that people in this area are aware of their rights and the law when it comes to this Amnesty and this information is crucially needed now in Liverool.

If you live in and around merseyside and can spare even an hour whilst you're out dogwalking or popping to the shops to assist please, please, please contact for further details on how you can help.

THANK YOU SO MUCH IN ADVANCE

If you are concerned about your dogs welfare in respect to this amnesty can I urge you to call the Deed Not Breed telephone numbers at the bottom of the press release below.





PRESS RELEASE: “KNEE JERK” DOG AMNESTY IS UNLIKELY TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC"

Across Merseyside a Dog Amnesty begins tomorrow WHICH WILL BRING THE ABOUT DEATH OF ANY DOG HANDED IN. The [System edit: site contains dog forum] group strongly oppose this Amnesty for two reasons:

• We are concerned the Amnesty will not work to make Merseyside a safer place for the public. Without a doubt, it will kill dogs. However, we feel owners of aggressive dogs - whatever their breed - will go further underground and are unlikely to hand in dogs. Instead, innocent family pets will be destroyed.

• The Merseyside Police make no mention of the Amendment of 1997 which states that destruction of breeds and types is not mandatory if a judge is satisfied that they are of no danger to the public (ie: a family pet). Under the proposed scheme there is NO opportunity to go to court and apply to add dogs to the Index of Registered Dogs.

The Amnesty means the public can hand any dog they suspect is of a ‘pit bull type’ in to the police without fear of prosecution. However, dogs – however friendly and good natured - will pay a heavy penalty. If deemed ‘of type’ and signed over, they will die. It really is that simple.

[System edit: site contains dog forum] would like to make local dog owners aware of the following:

• You are under no legal obligation to hand over dogs under the Amnesty. If you do, and your dog is of type, IT WILL BE DESTROYED.

• If you do not hand over your dog under the amnesty and it is later seized, you are under no legal obligation to sign seized dogs over for destruction.

• If you don’t sign your dog over, you have the right to fight through the courts to save your pet’s life by proving that he or she poses no threat to the public. 1000 dogs have been registered this way since the act came out.

The Kennel Club recently described amnesties as a “knee-jerk response reminiscent of the rushed and ineffective Dangerous Dogs Act 1991”. Sadly, while dogs ‘of type’ may be illegal, they may not be dangerous and breed specific amnesties and bans do not protect children and adults from dangerous owners who train dogs to be aggressive. Many dogs of "type" are simply a legal cross breeding resulting in "type" off spring.

The well respected Dogs Trust also commented that they “(do) not believe that an amnesty will achieve the desired result of eliminating aggressive or dangerous dogs, nor would it ensure the prevention of dog attacks on people.”

The group welcomes Merseyside Police’s statement agreeing with Deed Not Breed’s position on the need to change the law (Dangerous Dogs Act 1991) which they now appear to feel is in urgent need for review.

“In the light of their acceptance that the law is wrong it seems strange that they are aggressively pursuing dogs and not focusing on poor ownership,” says Deed not Breed Chairperson Melanie Page.

" No breed of dog is inherently dangerous. Rather than hounding innocent dogs who simply "look the part" I would rather they joined us to call for consultation and better legislation, alongside the reopening of the index of exempt dogs so that responsible dog owners can work with the Police to register dogs – without the fear of their pets being killed”, she continued.

If you are a concerned dog owner, the group urges that you know your rights. Visit or call our helplines on: 08700 34 55 62 or 08700 34 55 63 or for enquiries concerning [System edit: site contains dog forum] call national enquiries 08700 34 55 64

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Hear hear,well done for highlighting this Sal.

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A BIG well done to you for trying to do something about this issue.

Nix

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What is so frustrating about all of this, is that the statements released by the deed not breed and the kennel club, along with the large number of dog people with half a brain, are just basic common sense. The argument we are putting forward is based on clear, obvious assumptions that anybody with half a brain can see. Yet the people who have control, and make the decisions to implement such ridiculous amnesties, have no form of common sense whatsoever. Maybe I'm expecting too much of people in such positions of authority, to even think they could display any form of foresight to see what is blatantly obvious. The people who create dangerous dogs, will not hand their dogs in, for christs sake they've already knowingly purchased a breed that is against the law to own, then brought them up in a way that makes them dangerous to other dogs and other people. But, just because they set up an amnesty, the idiots throughout the area with an illegal dangerous dog will get straight on the phone and hand them in. So mad by all of this at the moment, as you can probably tell, rant over.

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Sadly not near but wanted too show support from a Non bull breed owner

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Same here, there is an email campaign going on when I get details I'll pass them on.
Becky

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Look at what its doing to people,they are so scared,i feel so sorry for these people who fear that their perfectly docile pet may be taken.

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Quote:
This Hand In is as a direct result of concerns from the public



The above was said Yesterday on merseyside police web chat. We are members of the public and I know I do not want this amnesty. Therefore we are asking those who do not agree with the amnesty to show this each day for the next seven days, while the amnesty runs.

Each morning we will post a number of email adress's (no more than four emails) and we ask you , if you do not agree with the amnesty, To email those address's and tell them so. You dont have to be a writer, we are asking the public it doesnt matter how good it looks, so long as its your own email in your own way.Tell them why you do not agree with this and your worrys about it. They may not know unless you tell them.

There is only one line we would like in the email if you would and that is:

"Not in my name"

Please do not use this as title tho!
This will only show any stregnth of feeling if everyone does it so please email and cross post and ask your friends to do the same. You can use the same email for all the address's so dont need to write a different one each day.

Todays email addresss are:


Day one wednesday:

Liverpool echo:

merseyside police:






Please post if you have emailed and remember to pass on where ever you can.

Thanks

Cross posted if that's OK.
Becky

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That poor woman must be living on a knife edge,I'm really glad i don't live in Liverpool at the moment,i really feel for all those that do,that are under threat from losing there family pets.
What a living hell,what are they trying to achieve,the public are not going to be protected are they,they are just driving the idiots with illegal dogs further underground
Even the KC are against it,just wondering if it will affect other parts of the uk,
People are been urged to hand over American,Irish,and Irish Blue Staffs

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Thanks Becky.On it now.

Also i have found this........

Since when were Irish Staffords on the DDA?