New legal powers have being given to police forces and local authorities from today, Monday, 20th October.
Nationally, there are thousands of dog attacks every year.
For the first time, police and councils will be able to demand that owners take action to prevent a dog attack or risk a fine of up to £20,000.If a complaint has been made about a dog to the Council or police, its owners could be ordered to: attend dog training classes; muzzle the dog or require it to be on a lead in public; require the dog to be microchipped and/or neutered; and repair fencing to prevent the dog leaving the property.The Dealing with irresponsible dog ownership: practitioner's manual, launched today, guides police forces and local authorities in the use of their new legal powers to prevent dog attacks.
Councillor Les Gilbert, Cheshire East Council Cabinet member for localism and enforcement, said: "As an enforcing Council, we will act swiftly and robustly to protect the public from dangerous dogs and bring offenders to book.
"Dog attacks are devastating for victims and their families, which is why we will act to take tough action against those who allow them to happen.
"Police and the Council now have more powers to demand that irresponsible dog owners take steps to prevent attacks before they happen.
"This is on top of the tougher prison sentences introduced by the Government earlier this year, for owners who allow their dogs to attack people or 'assistance' dogs.
"Prevention is always better than cure but that depends on information/intelligence from the public to alert us to any potential situation."
The national policing lead for dangerous dogs Deputy Chief Constable Gareth Pritchard said: "The practitioners manual gives police officers and other practitioners clear guidance on how to best implement the legislative changes, especially the early preventative measures such as Community Protection Notices, to help prevent more-serious events occurring in the future.
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