Killer dog owners in UK face 14 years jail under proposed laws

Owners of dogs that attack and kill people in the UK will face 14 years in jail under tough new laws proposed by the government today.
The Department of for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) announced the proposals this morning following a public consultation this summer.
According to the proposed rules, if a dog injures someone in an attack its owner could be imprisoned for five years, and if a guide dog is attacked the penalty would be three years in jail, the Daily Express reported.
The current maximum sentence for dog attacks is currently just two years.
The consultation was launched just months after a 14-year-old girl was savaged to death by four dogs while visiting the home of a friend near Wigan, Greater Manchester, in March.

The dog's owner, Beverley Concannon, was given a 16-week jail sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling 165 pounds.

She was also banned from keeping dogs indefinitely.
"It is right that the punishments of those who allow their dog to kill or injure people or assistance dogs are proportionate to the horrendous impact dog attacks can have," Lord de Mauley, Animal Welfare Minister, said.
"We're toughening up laws to ensure that anyone who owns a dangerous dog can be brought to justice, regardless of where an attack takes place. We're also giving local authorities and the police new powers to nip issues in the bud and take action before a dog attack takes place," Mauley said.

Animal charity Dog's Trust welcomed the proposed changes to the Dangerous Dogs Act to cover attacks on private property, saying it is "key" as in the last ten years these are where the the majority of fatal dog attacks have taken place.
The new prison sentences could come into law by next year, provided Parliament backs the proposals as part of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill.