DOGS DESCEND ON DOWNING STREET The Kennel Club is pleased to announce that it accompanied MEPs, concerned dog lovers and their dogs to Downing Street on Tuesday 19th December to hand a protest letter to Tony Blair. This action directly brought to the Governments' attention the anti-dog legislation currently being perpetuated in Europe and the rest of the world and ensured that this issue remains firmly on the political agenda and within the public spotlight. In attendance were a cornucopia of canines which included Bull Terriers, Rottweilers, Staffords, Bullmastiffs, Mastiffs and Anatolian Karabash - just some of the breeds that are directly affected by Breed Specific Legislation that is currently occurring throughout the world - and you would be lucky to meet a more well behaved or friendly bunch! The Kennel Club believes the policy of dog lovers in the UK has always been clear - 'Punish the deed, not the breed', based on the circumstances of individual occurrences. Breed Specific Legislation is not the solution, as it is unacceptable to ban all dogs of a specific breed based on the actions of a single animal. Said Caroline Kisko, External Affairs Executive, "We would like to thank both the MEP's for their continued interest and support in this campaign and of course the owners and their dogs for their tireless efforts in keeping this issue firmly in the public conscience, both here and abroad. We look forward to the public awareness campaign at Crufts 2001, where we hope to spread the message even further!" Phil Buckley, Press Officer, 020 7518 1020

Rt Hon Tony Blair Prime Minister 10 Downing Street London SW1A 2AA BY HAND 19 December 00 Dear Mr Blair On behalf of my parliamentary colleagues, the Kennel Club, other concerned canine charities and dog lovers in the UK, we visit you today to express our deep concern at some countries recent attempts to introduce punitive legislation aimed at curtailing the keeping and breeding of particular types of dog. In particular, Germany, Spain, France and Holland are all in the process of drafting their own 'dangerous dog' legislation that specifically targets and persecutes individual breeds of dog solely on their ancestry, without any consideration for their individual temperaments. Dogs in America, Canada and Australia are also experiencing similar hostilities and we wonder what are the reasons for this blatant persecution of 'mans best friend'. We are naturally very concerned regarding the current inclusion of breeds such as the Bullmastiff, Old English Mastiff, Rottweiler and Anatolian Karabash Dog and several other historically significant and popular British breeds such as the Bull Terrier and Staffordshire Bull Terrier, solely on the basis of their distant ancestry. Concerned dog lovers with these breeds of dog have specifically come to visit you today to demonstrate just how amiable they are. These breeds are well established in the UK and make ideal family pets. The policy of dog lovers in the UK has always been clear with regard to so called dangerous and vicious dogs. 'Punish the deed, not the breed', based on the circumstances of individual occurrences. Breed specific legislation is not the solution, as it is unacceptable to ban all dogs of a specific breed based on the actions of a single animal. The UK has experienced the complexities and injustice of our own Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 and it has shown that Breed Specific Legislation does not work. Evidence from all over the world demonstrates the failure of Breed Specific Legislation to significantly affect any possible threat to the public and in contrast actually deflects both the public and enforcement agencies away from the right and proper measures needed to identify and restrict the activities of a few criminal or careless owners. More. We urge you and your colleagues to consider the evidence amply demonstrated by the continuing popularity of these breeds in the United Kingdom as to their trustworthy and safe nature when properly owned and controlled by law-abiding citizens. Whilst we have received correspondence from Mike O'Brien, Under Secretary of State at the Home Office assuring us that you will oppose any measures that you regard as over-prescriptive, or which would require laws more stringent than the Dangerous Dogs Act, the letter went on to say that "you have no objection in principle to harmonising controls of dangerous dogs across Europe." This factor obviously causes us all concern. Please do not support any Breed Specific Legislation IN Europe which would endanger the life or freedom of family pet dogs. Please consider the genuine facts and evidence before effectively playing a role in phasing out these breeds and thus distressing thousands of family pets and their owners throughout the world. Yours sincerely Theresa Villiers Roger Helmer Sally McNamara Charles Tannock

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