(1)This Act may be cited as the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.
(2)In this Act—
“advertisement” includes any means of bringing a matter to the attention of the public and “advertise” shall be construed accordingly;
[F1“assistance dog” has the meaning given by section 173(1) of the Equality Act 2010;]
“public place” means any street, road or other place (whether or not enclosed) to which the public have or are permitted to have access whether for payment or otherwise and includes the common parts of a building containing two or more separate dwellings.
(3)For the purposes of this Act a dog shall be regarded as dangerously out of control on any occasion on which there are grounds for reasonable apprehension that it will injure any person [F2or assistance dog], whether or not it actually does so, but references to a dog injuring a person [F3or assistance dog] or there being grounds for reasonable apprehension that it will do so do not include references to any case in which the dog is being used for a lawful purpose by a constable or a person in the service of the Crown.
(4)Except for section 8, this Act shall not come into force until such day as the Secretary of State may appoint by an order made by statutory instrument and different days may be appointed for different provisions or different purposes.
(5)Except for section 8, this Act does not extend to Northern Ireland.
Subordinate Legislation Made
P1S. 10(4) power fully exercised: 12.8.1991 appointed by S.I. 1991/1742, art.3.
Textual Amendments
F1Words in s. 10(2) inserted (13.5.2014) by Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (c. 12), ss. 106(6)(a), 185(1) (with ss. 21, 33, 42, 58, 75, 93); S.I. 2014/949, art. 3, Sch. para. 6
F2Words in s. 10(3) inserted (13.5.2014) by Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (c. 12), ss. 106(6)(b)(i), 185(1) (with ss. 21, 33, 42, 58, 75, 93); S.I. 2014/949, art. 3, Sch. para. 6
F3Words in s. 10(3) inserted (13.5.2014) by Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (c. 12), ss. 106(6)(b)(ii), 185(1) (with ss. 21, 33, 42, 58, 75, 93); S.I. 2014/949, art. 3, Sch. para. 6
Commencement Information
I1S. 10 wholly in force at 12.8.1991, see s. 10(4) and S.I. 1991/1742, art. 3.