Children are often given pets as a lesson in responsibility, but for adults too ownership has a number of demands – more than many imagine.

Upon purchasing a pet the owner has an obligation both to the animal under their care and to others with whom it comes into contact. Beyond household pets there are also an increasing number of animal law cases involving large sums of money, such as hunting and horse riding.

Caring for pets

Under the Animal Welfare Act pet owners have a legal reponsibility for their animal’s welfare and provided they meet these basic requirements the advice should never be required.

The ‘duty of care’ for the animal’s welfare includes ensuring:

• suitable environment
• suitable diet
• ability to exhibit normal behaviour patterns
• protection from pain, suffering, injury and disease

Dog bites

The important piece of legislation that dictates the owner’s responsibility for their animal’s behaviour is the Animals Act 1971. Under this law the keeper of an animal is liable, regardless of whether they were at fault, for any accident involving their pet.

Among such accidents dog attacks are of most common concern, especially following the tragic death of five-year-old Ellie Lawrenson in 2007. Neither was the attack on her by the family’s pitbull terrier necessarily a freak incident, with 127 children in London requiring hospital treatment following a dog attack in that year.

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