[Livia]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

If you have your dog in your back garden it should also be covered imo, what business would a Postman or any usual caller have going into your back garden?

Also, you're supposed to have dog licences here........nobody does though unless they get caught then they get one for that year and never renew it, no one ever follows it up either, we don't have the funds to spend money on policing that properly, there are far more pressing things that or tax money needs to go on

I think back gardens can be a bit of a grey area. You can walk into my back garden through a gate, many people do. Same with my previous house. I can understand the reasoning even if i don't 100% agree, but you can't legislate for every single garden. However, you can legislate for inside a property.

They already have animal wardens here. They investigate truly appalling cases of neglect, people breeding dogs relentlessly to sell the puppies etc.. Currently, the warden cannot remove a dog unless it is in imminent danger and even then the owner has rights. If dogs were licenced and no licence was produced, then the animal could be removed. There are no dangerous dogs, only dangerous owners. If the cost of the licence was, say £25 it might maybe deter some people from getting a dog, or a number of dogs, they cannot afford to care for or do not intend to care for, and the revenue raised could be used to police it. I think it would pay for itself in time.