COUNCIL chiefs have pledged to make East Renfrewshire’s play parks “as safe as possible” amid fears that dog control laws are not fit for purpose.

The vow has been issued after MSPs on Holyrood’s Public Audit Committee were told current laws governing dog ownership and control are not being enforced and there is a lack of dog wardens.

The committee is recommending that local authorities, GPs, hospitals and police record data relating to all reported dog attacks, with councils also being urged to create secure play areas for children where all dogs are banned.

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East Renfrewshire doesn’t employ any dedicated dog wardens, although six of the council’s 13 community wardens are trained to carry out dog control duties.

A council spokesman told the Barrhead News: “Any incident relating to unacceptable behaviour by dogs is taken extremely seriously, with the responsibility for dog control shared with the police.

“We work closely with our colleagues in Police Scotland, who take the lead on more serious incidents.

“Our 13 community wardens patrol East Renfrewshire’s streets and public places, carrying out a wide variety of tasks, including dealing with anti-social behaviour, litter, dog fouling, smoking legislation and the role of a parking attendant.

“Six of the wardens are specifically trained to carry out dog control duties.

“The safety of children using play parks is our top priority and many of our play parks are fenced, with no access for dogs permitted.

“As areas are being upgraded, we will continue to consider the best way to make our facilities as safe as possible.”

The Scottish Government has been told current laws need to be “reformed urgently” due to the high level of dog attacks happening in Scotland.

In its report following an investigation into dog control legislation, the parliamentary committee argued the effectiveness of the 2010 Control of Dogs Act is restricted by both a lack of resources for local authorities and a lack of public awareness about the current laws.

A shortage of dog wardens was highlighted as a key concern by the report, in addition to the “unacceptable” failure of the government to establish a Scottish dog control database.

Committee convener Jenny Marra said: “Dog law in Scotland is not fit for purpose. There are still far too many dog attacks on children and little enforcement or understanding of the current laws that might prevent these attacks.

“It has become clear that current dog control law doesn’t work. 

“It needs to be reformed urgently so that out-of-control and dangerous dogs can be dealt with properly and we can try to move to a system that prevents our children being injured by dogs.”

The Scottish Government has said it will “carefully” consider the committee’s report.

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A spokeswoman added: “While most dog owners are responsible and keep their dogs under control, we are aware there is a small minority who fail to do so and this puts communities at risk.

“The number of prosecutions for dogs being dangerously out of control has fallen by nearly one-third in the last five years. 

“However, we are clear that any incident, especially when a child is involved, can be traumatic and we will continue to support the police and local authorities to help keep communities safe.

“We will consider the report carefully, including the suggestion of wider changes to the law, the focus on whether the legal framework requires improvement and the role of independent enforcement agencies.”