Study into reintroducing dog licences prompts mixed reaction in South West

A national study examining whether dog licences should be reintroduced to address growing concerns around dog ownership has drawn a divided response from owners in Devon and Cornwall.

The RSPCA and Dogs Trust have jointly funded research by the York Health Economics Consortium to assess the costs of dog control across the UK and explore whether a modern licensing system could help improve safety and welfare. The government has been asked whether it would consider such a move alongside the existing legal requirement for all dogs over eight weeks old to be microchipped.

There are an estimated 15.5 million pet dogs in the UK. Traditional dog licences were abolished in England, Scotland and Wales in 1987, when fewer than half of owners complied.

Dr Samantha Gaines, the RSPCA’s head of companion animals, said the consultation aimed to understand whether a new licensing model could help “offset” the rising costs of dog control and reduce the number of serious incidents.

She told BBC Radio Cornwall that dog bites had been a long‑standing concern for the charity, with recent years seeing “horrific injuries” and “tragic fatalities”.

“We’ve looked into alternative solutions to reducing dog bites,” she said. “Dog licensing has the potential to help us solve some of the challenges around dog ownership.”

She added that any new system would need to avoid repeating the shortcomings of the 1980s scheme, which was widely viewed as a tax on responsible owners, and suggested that fees could be ring‑fenced to support enforcement and welfare work.

Some owners in Devon and Cornwall said they would welcome the return of licences if the cost was reasonable.

Belinda Phillips, from Torquay, said it could make owners “more accountable”, while Amanda Savidge, from St Ives, believed a licence could encourage responsibility and help fund services such as waste‑bin provision.

Others were firmly opposed. Honiton resident Ian Pemberton said the previous system “was a poor idea when it existed”, while Braunton dog owner Clive White argued that irresponsible owners would simply ignore the requirement.

Cornwall dog behaviourist Roy Young is launching an advanced dog‑ownership initiative, which he described as “a driving test for owners” to help improve understanding and control.

“Not all dogs want to play,” he said. “They’ve got to be under control at all times.”

The RSPCA consultation has now closed, and researchers are analysing the findings.