Dangerous and Disruptive Pets May Cost Taxpayers over $150 million/annum

Collaboration and Funding May be the the Key to better Animal Welfare according to British Parliament

Anna MacNeil-Allcock

InfoStream Staff Writer 

British Parliament has become increasingly aware of, and concerned with, dog-related issues. Whether about dangerous dogs, irresponsible breeding and trading or cruelty there have been numerous debates, meetings, parliamentary questions and petitions.

Dogs affect the economy both positively and negatively and aside from farm animals, are one of the most significant animals in relation to people with most individuals having some sort of contact with them on a daily basis.

To give an idea of the estimated costs to the taxpayer of irresponsible dog guardianship a British University was commissioned to carry out a study for the RSPCA in 2013. It is estimated that irresponsible dog guardianship can cost the British taxpayer just over £80 million per year ($146,707,380 Canadian dollars) due to attacks on livestock, attacks on humans, dangerous dog control, dog welfare issues, stray dog control, road traffic accidents and zoonotic diseases. This may be an important consideration in every country for reducing or eliminating a huge cost to tax payers.

In September 2014, an e-petition calling for an upgrade of dog legislation was brought to the House of Commons, triggering a debate and the creation of the ‘All-Party parliamentary group for animal welfare; sub-group for dogs’.

Not an easy feat, this group brought together politicians, humane, and animal control organizations, Veterinarians and others in the pet industry. It was acknowledged that key stakeholders had made numerous previous attempts to address individual problems but were hindered by the lack of a collaborative approach, lack of resources, insufficient legislation or inconsistent messaging and education.

The All-Party Parliamentary group believes that only with the involvement of all of these organisations and by combining resources, knowledge and expertise can progress be achieved. What is needed is a holistic approach to a clear vision for dogs that encourages responsible dog ownership. However, it is fundamental to set out exactly what responsible dog ownership and guardianship should look like.

In the end, twenty-one recommendations were made, which represent stage one in the process. The second stage will begin in  2015, to collaborate on more specific approaches to uphold the recommendations.

READ MORE: Review and Recommendations for Developing an Effective England-wide Strategy for Dogs 

North American leaders in the pet industry will notice two common and familiar themes woven throughout these recommendations. First, there is a need to find a regular and reliable source of funding for these initiatives, beyond donations. Second, there is a need for input and collaboration from all sectors of the industry.

As each sector recognizes these two needs, on a global scale, we will see forward movement on some of the most complex but important animal welfare initiatives.

Other important concepts touched upon in the recommendations include the need for evidence based legislation, clear and consistent messaging within and between the sectors, and animal welfare and behaviour training for all local authority officers.

READ MORE: Veterinary Record Abstract

BC SPCA supports a review of dangerous dog legislation

The BC SPCA has reached out to the BC Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development to support a review of Section 49 of the Community Charter, entitled special powers in relation to dangerous dogs. 

The BC SPCA feels it is important to provide a voice to dogs around the province who have been confined in pound facilities, often in isolation, for lengthy periods of time as a result of the current structure of the law. This official correspondence was read into the Legislative Assembly in conjunction with the presentation of a petition on the same subject on Tuesday, 23 July. 

The BC SPCA believes that every animal deserves the five freedoms, including freedom from pain, distress, discomfort and freedom to express behaviours that promote well-being. 

BC SPCA LETTER TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 

State Farm Lists Top Ten States for Dog Bite Claims

It's Not the Breed, It's the Bite


Dog bites are a serious public health problem that can cause both physical and emotional damage to victims and considerable cost to communities.  Each year, almost five million people are bitten or attacked by dogs.

Top 10 states for State Farm Dog Bite Claims in 2010

State - Number of claims/Claims paid (estimated):
1. California - 369 claims/$11.3 million
2. Illinois - 317 claims/$9.7 million
3. Ohio - 215 claims/$5.7 million
4. Texas - 202 claims/$3.7 million
5. Michigan - 166 claims/$5.2 million
6. Pennsylvania - 155 claims/$3.9 million
7. Florida - 146 claims/$5.6 million
8. Minnesota - 139 claims/$3.4 million
9. New York - 119 claims/$4.3 million
10. Indiana - 114 claims/$1.8 million

State Farm(R) paid more than $90 million as a result of the nearly 3,500 dog bite claims in 2010. This is one of the reasons that State Farm recognizes National Dog Bite Prevention Week, sponsored by the American Veterinary Medical Association during the week of May 15 - 21.

The Insurance Information Institute (III) estimates that in 2009, insurers across the country paid more than $412 million in dog bite claims.

A dog's tendency to bite depends on such factors as heredity, obedience training, socialization, health, and the victim's behavior. There are good dogs and bad dogs within every breed, just as there can be responsible and irresponsible owners of each breed. State Farm *does not refuse insurance based on the breed of dog a customer owns but does require policyholders to answer questions about their dogs' history on a homeowner insurance application.

* The state of Ohio has determined that the pit bull meets the definition of a "vicious dog". As a result, the owners of pit bulls or any American Staffordshire terrier mix are subject to specific requirements to protect the public from injury by these animals. State Farm does not provide coverage under its homeowner's policy in the state for this breed of dog.

Children are frequent victims of dog bites. In fact, 60 percent of all dog bite victims are children under the age of 12. Tragically, of the 33 dog bites that resulted in death last year, 20 of these fatalities were young children.

In addition to stressing responsible pet ownership, State Farm encourages responsible behavior and caution around dogs, including family pets. Under the right circumstances, any dog might bite.

NEVER leave a baby or small child alone with a dog. Be on the lookout for potentially dangerous situations. Start teaching young children -- including toddlers -- to be careful around pets.Children must be taught NOT to approach strange dogs. Always ask permission from a dog's owner before petting any dog.

For more information about dog bite prevention, visit the State Farm Learning Center or the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Interview opportunity:
Media outlets interested in interviewing dog bite victim Alex Ramsey and her mother Michele should contact State Farm Media Specialist Heather Paul at 309-766-0922 or via email at heather.paul.jaw8@statefarm.com.

Video:
Visit the State Farm Newsroom and click on the video tab for interviews with two children that were attacked by dogs and required reconstructive surgery to repair the facial injuries. Additional video footage from the interviews is also available at the newsroom.

About State Farm(R)

State Farm insures more cars and homes than any other insurer in the U.S., is the leading insurer of watercraft and is also a leading insurer in Canada. Our 17,800 agents and more than 66,000 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts ? more than 79 million auto, fire, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 34 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit statefarm.com(R) or in Canada statefarm.ca(R).

SOURCE State Farm

For further information: Heather Paul, State Farm Corporate Public Affairs, +1-309-766-0922, heather.paul.jaw8@statefarm.com