Police slammed for guard dog suggestion

Nov 19 2008 By Kathy Miller

The RSPCA have criticised Thames Valley Police for suggesting homeowners use dogs as a way of deterring seasonal burglars.

In a statement issued as part of a nine point plan by the Chiltern Local Police Area, Amersham crime reduction officer Mike Levine urged residents to 'consider buying a pet dog' to discourage opportunist thieves on winter nights.

This advice has been roundly criticised by the RSPCA, who say they oppose pets being bought as guard dogs, particularly at Christmas, when so many animals are abandonned in January.

The RSPCA estimate that a dog can cost in excess of £10,000 over its lifetime and should not be considered a cheap security system.

A spokeswoman for the RSPCA said: "You've got to get a dog for the right reason. We strongly oppose people buying dogs as gifts and are against keeping dogs as guard dogs, because an animal should be part of the family."

The spokeswoman confirmed that the Animal Welfare Act places a duty of care on an owner and that when dogs are used as guards, they should be trained specifically. "It is not acceptable to leave a dog outside on a chain where it is not stimulated or given any attention," she said.

She added that the RSPCA cautions people not to buy dogs as Christmas presents, but to wait until things are quieter to give an animal a chance to settle into a new environment.

According to the RSPCA, breeds such as Rottweilers, German Shepherds and Staffordshire Bull Terriers are often bought as status symbols by people wishing to project a 'hard man' image, but these are the breeds most likely to be abandoned within six months once the owners tire of them.

"They are overwhelming the ones we find and are the most difficult to re-home," she said.

Mr Levine said: "The advice I gave was well intenioned and there was no suggestion that people should buy dogs unless they know what they are taking on."