A
BILL
TO
Require the annual registration of dogs; to require that income from
registration be used to fund the enforcement of conditions and penalties
imposed on those owning and controlling dogs; and for connected purposes.
Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and
consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present
Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—
(1)
The Secretary of State shall by regulations create a scheme to require all
keepers of dogs to pay an annual fee to, and register their dog with, the local
authority responsible for the area in which they normally reside.
(2)
5A registration made in relation to this Act shall remain in force for a period of
one year after which the keeper of the dog must renew the registration unless
the dog has left their possession.
(3)
Regulations made under subsection (1) shall make provision about the
circumstances under which a registration might be suspended.
(4) 10Local authorities shall hold a register of dogs registered with them.
(5)
A register under subsection (4) shall include the information required under
subsection (5), paragraphs (a), (e), (f), (g), (h), (i) and (k) of The Microchipping
of Dogs (England) Regulations 2014.
(6)
Regulations under subsection (1) shall provide that failure to pay the fee or to
15register shall incur a fixed penalty notice issued by an authorised person.
(7)
Regulations under subsection (1) shall include provision to make such
exemptions as the Secretary of State considers necessary including, but not
limited to, exemptions for rehoming centres.
(1)
20The Secretary of State may by regulations set a scale of fees for a dog
registration scheme established under section 1(1) of this Act.
Dogs (Registration) BillPage 2
(2)
A scale established under subsection (1) may be reviewed from time to time
and amended by subsequent regulations.
The fees collected under a registration scheme established by regulations
5under this Act shall be used only to defray costs incurred by the relevant local
authority arising out of the enforcement of this Act or other duties or services
relating to dogs.
In this Act-
10“authorised person” and “keeper” shall have the meaning given them in
the Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations 2014, and
“local authority” shall include the following levels of government in
England-
Unitary;
15Metropolitan;
District;
London Borough;
City of London;
Council of the Isles of Scilly.
(1) This Act may be cited as the Dogs (Registration) Act 2015.
(2) This Act extends to England only.
(3) This Act shall come into force one year after this Act is passed.