Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 695: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the 10 breeds of dogs controlled under the Control of Dogs Regulations 1998; his views on introducing new regulations to ensure that such dogs are microchipped; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34396/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Control of Dogs Regulations 1998 place controls on the following ten breeds of dogs: American Pit Bull Terrier; English Bull Terrier; Staffordshire Bull Terrier; Bull Mastiff; Doberman Pinscher; German Shepherd (Alsatian); Rhodesian Ridgeback; Rottweiler; Japanese Akita; Japanese Tosa and to every dog of the type commonly known as a Ban Dog (or Bandog).

The controls, which must be observed when the dog is in a public place, require that these dogs, or strains and crosses thereof, must be kept on a short lead by a person over 16 years of age who is capable of controlling them and that they be securely muzzled. Furthermore, the Control of Dogs Act 1986 gives specific powers to the courts to order that a dog, which the court considers dangerous, must be kept under proper control or be destroyed.

The Control of Dogs Regulations 1998 require the owner or other person in charge of a dog to ensure that the dog at all times wears a collar bearing the name and address of the owner on an attached plate, badge or disc. The regulations contain penalties for non-compliance with this requirement or for defacing or rendering illegible the above particulars. These arrangements followed consideration of all practicable options for ensuring identification of dogs, including that of micro-chipping, and are being kept under review.