Should We Bring Back Dog Licenses In The UK?
It is estimated that there are 13.5 million dogs living in UK homes in 2024. With such a large population of pet dogs living in society, it is no wonder there are quite a few laws addressing ownership and welfare. In light of this, Holidays4Dogs asks – should we bring back dog licenses in the UK?
Dog licensing isn’t a new idea and while it came to end in 1987 in Britain, other countries around the world operate dog licensing rules. Ireland, for instance, still has mandatory dog licenses. In Germany, dogs must be licensed and re-registered every time an owner moves house. The tax is to discourage too many people from owning dogs, as well as funding services such as dog waste bins.
Similarly, most areas in the U.S. operate a mandatory dog licence system, although laws vary depending on the individual state. Some states, for example, charge reduced fees if the dog is neutered. The Netherlands, New Zealand and Australia all have a dog licensing system. Many countries stipulate other obligations such as, mandatory vaccinations, attendance at obedience classes, or written tests.
All of these systems seem to be of benefit to everyone, so should the UK think about bringing dog licenses back too?
Pet owner survey.
In 2023 a Pet Owner Report survey found that 71% of UK pet owners would be willing to pay for a dog licence should they ever be reintroduced. Many respondents said they would be willing to pay up to £38 per dog in order to curb irresponsible ownership.
There are arguments for and against the reintroduction of dog licenses in the UK.
Reasons for reintroducing dog licenses.
The RSPCA advocate the reintroduction of dog licenses in the UK. They believe this could generate money to improve the welfare of dogs and tackle issues surrounding dog ownership. Issues such as, irresponsible owner, antisocial behaviour involving dogs and dog bite incidents – all of which appear to be on the rise.
Activists from the Right To Roam campaign also want to see a return to dog licensing. They are keen to see livestock and wildlife given more protection from the rising dog population in Britain. Along with a new right to roam for England, in line with Scottish freedoms, campaigners wish to see better measures to control dogs. They say, wildlife conservationists and farmers say out of control dogs and aggressive owners, are an increasing problem in the British countryside.
Indeed, since pandemic lockdowns and the resulting increase in people buying pet dogs – farmers have seen an increase in dog attacks on their livestock. In 2023, there was a 30% increase in dog attacks on livestock resulting in an estimated loss to formers of 2.4 million.
Right to Roam activists claim, a new dog licensing system would allow for on-line education via the application process. At the application point, dog owners can learn about their obligations and responsibilities towards their pets. This could include information regarding dog law and legislation. Right to Roam would also like to see a new Countryside Code directed at dog owners. They also call for professional dog walkers being required to have accreditation.
Reasons to leave things as they are.
Other organisations, such as the UK Kennel club oppose measures to reintroduce dog licenses. They fear that this would increase the numbers of dogs in rescue, since people won’t want the extra expense, or bother, of organising registration. As it is, microchipping is now law and many people believe this is enough.
In addition, many critics say that a dog licence would only serve to punish good dog owners. The irresponsible ones would just ignore getting a licence and there will not be enough funding to enforce this. We already have dog control notices, but these are not always enforced, as it is. Dog fouling, for instance, is a huge problem in some UK towns and cities, but dog warden services have differing rules and standards. In addition, some areas have better funding than others.
Final thoughts.
Would a dog licence encourage a better understanding of the responsibilities of dog owners? The main issue seems to be that anyone can get a dog without knowing how to train or, look after it. Some sort of licensing system may help to address this problem. Training is key to ensuring dogs are well behaved within society. Therefore, many people would like to see compulsory training courses for dog new owners. Especially in instances where dog have been found to be ‘dangerously out of control’ according to UK law.
What is clear, is that the numbers of irresponsible dog owners seems to be increasing and somehow we need to address this. Otherwise, we will continue to see more dog attacks on people and livestock, along with many cases of antisocial behaviour involving dogs and their owners.
Crucially, this issue impacts severely on pet welfare too. When people don’t know how to control, or train their dog, it’s the dog that loses out. It’s the dog that ends up in a rescue shelter, lives an unsuitable life, or ends up being put down. Meanwhile, society has to put up with increasing numbers of out of control dogs – surely, something has to give?