There is a significant amount of legislation surrounding dog ownership and dog behavior. Being dog owners themselves, both Tom and Gemma recognise how easy it is for you and your dog to potentially find yourselves in trouble.
There are a variety of dog related offences that you can be charged with and some charges carry a potential death sentence for your dog as the court can order the destruction of your dog. There are potential ways to avoid this by successfully contesting the charge at trial or successfully mitigating the circumstances of the case. In some circumstances the court can be persuaded to impose a suspended destruction order, meaning your dog would not be destroyed as long as it complied with the requirements of the order.
This is the most commonly occurring dog related offence.
After dealing with numerous dog related offences, we have come to recognise that the majority of people charged are honest, caring, responsible owners who would never normally find themselves before a court. There are multiple defences available to this charge, and there are often ways to avoid the destruction of your dog even if a guilty plea is entered. Tom, Nathan and Gemma would thoroughly explore these defences to ensure the best possible outcome.
These offences carry higher sentencing powers and can realistically result in periods of imprisonment for the owner of the dog concerned.
Even if your dog has caused injury to another person or animal there are still potential defences available. It is important that you seek early legal advice from a solicitor who has experience in dealing with these cases in order to obtain the best possible result in your case.
Certain breeds of dogs are prohibited in England and Wales.
Often Staffordshire Terriers and American Bulldog cross breeds are accused of being prohibited type dogs. We work closely with canine experts who are able to re-assess your animal and, if required, give evidence in court as to the type of dog it actually is. This can result in avoiding a conviction altogether and perhaps more importantly saving the life of your animal.
If the police want to speak to you or if you have been charged or summonsed to attend court please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss your case in full. It is important to obtain good legal advice early on.