Dangerous dogs
The Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order 1983, as amended by the Dangerous Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order 1991, bans certain types of dogs as listed below:
- Pit bull terrier
- Dogo Argentino
- Fila Brasileiro
- Japanese Tosa
It is an offence to own, breed from, give away, sell, exchange, make a gift of or advertise for sale a banned dog. Councils are responsible for enforcing the Dogs Order.
If you find yourself facing an aggressive dog below are some tips to help stop the incident escalating:
• do not run, stand still
• keep your hands firmly by your sides, do not wave them around
• try telling the dog to sit or stay in a firm tone but do not shout
• do not kick the dog, make loud noises or jump around
• avoid eye contact with the dog as it might think you are challenging it
• slowly back away from the dog and when you are at a safe distance from it, walk away
If you own an aggressive dog, you should:
• keep your dog on a lead and muzzle it when in public
• put up a sign on your gate or door warning visitors that you have a dog inside
• keep your dog indoors and make sure it is properly supervised when outside
For more information contact the Neighbourhood Environment Team on 0300 013 3333.