Dogs and the law

In this activity, young people will look at a variety of statements that relate to how they care for or treat their dog, or how they would care for or treat their dog if they had one. The facilitator of this activity has a choice of statements to allow them to make this activity relevant to the young person.

The young person sorts these statements into categories. They then investigate whether or not these behaviours are acceptable or against the law and what types of penalties they could face if they break the law. They then create an action plan that addresses any current behaviours that are against the law to ensure responsible dog ownership.

Young people will:

• think about their own behaviour towards dogs

• develop an understanding of laws relating to dogs and dog ownership in the UK, especially the consequences of breaking the law, including penalties

• explore whether their own behaviour reflects current UK law regarding dog ownership

• create an action plan where they identify behaviours that need to be changed in order to comply with the law.

Some young people will:

• explore what types of dogs are banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

Number of participants: It is recommended you run this activity with just one person.

How long it will take: To complete the full range of activities in this section will take 1.5-2 hours, but the activities can be done over several sessions.

Included in this guide:

• Activity sheets
• Fact sheets
• Facilitators' notes