What’s the law around dog collars and harnesses?

As dog owners, there are some pretty obvious rules about what we can or cannot do. For example, we cannot leave dog poo behind, or walk our dogs off leash in a sheep field. There are, however, some laws that aren’t as widely known, or can cause a bit of confusion amongst pet owners. The requirement for dog collars is an example of this. Read on to find out the rules behind dogs wearing identifiable Dog Collar, to avoid inadvertently picking up a nasty fine!

What are the rules?
In order to work out the nitty gritty of this dog collar and Dog Harness business, one must turn to a particular section of the UK laws and regulations known as the Control of Dogs Order 1992. Here, it states that all dogs, when in public space, must wear a collar tag that clearly displays the owner’s initial and surname, as well as their up-to-date address. Phone numbers are recommended but not mandatory; as long as the name and address are on the tag that is fine. 
There are certain exemptions to this law: working dogs including guide dogs, shepherding dogs and sporting dogs aren’t included in this law. This exemption will not apply to the vast majority of dog owners, however. So most pet owners will have to abide by the law and make sure their pooch is in public with a collar and tag.

What is the penalty?

The penalty is a level 5 fine which was previously capped at £5000. This has changed since 2015. Now the maximum penalty can be up to six months imprisonment, with or without an unlimited fine. This is obviously quite steep, but fortunately the fines which are actually given out will usually be much lower than this. For reference, in 2018 a Cocker spaniel in the East Midlands was picked up without a collar, landing their owner with a fine of £50 plus £30 surcharge. While it pales in comparison to the £5000, this still is certainly not a small amount. And it could be easily avoided with owners ensuring their dog is out with an appropriate collar tag!