Scottish law

[lurcherman]

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Any one know the law on beware of dog sign ? Kind regards.

 

[JoanneF]

I have heard that if you display one, it could be interpreted that you know the dog is something to beware of - i.e. if it did intimidate someone, you are admitting you are already aware that might have been a possibility.

That said, I don't know how ingrained in law that is, especially since the DD Act says a dog could be deemed dangerous just for putting someone at fear in any case.

I've seen signs saying ”Dogs Running Loose on Premises”, would that get round it?

 

[Hemlock]

As Joanne says, in UK you would be on a sticky wicket by "admitting" the dog was dangerous. And, bizarrely, under the revised DDA, it is a crime if a dog attacks (even if just barking at) someone in your yard or garden, even if they are in the throes of committing a crime. The dog is only "allowed" to tackle an intruder in the actual house (not an outbuilding either). What numpty let that one through the legal process???? It is also a crime to have unattended guard dogs running loose - any guard dogs need to be attached by a lead to a human (not on a chain in the yard) though it is not a crime to have the "dogs running loose" situation as in pet dogs running unconfined in a non-guarding scenario. But that of course might tempt dog thieves.

Perhaps we can have a Forum competition for an alternative sign that would serve the purpose.

 

[JudyN]

Perhaps we can have a Forum competition for an alternative sign that would serve the purpose.

'A Rottweiler lives here'? I did consider 'A badass dog lives here', but that 'badass' is probably admitting guilt. I've also seen 'Be aware of the dog' - just one letter and a space different, but you could claim you meant that burglers have to be careful not to trip over it.