Brighton and Hove Greens convenor Bill Randall has called for all dogs to be microchipped.
Councillor Randall, who represents Hanover and Elm Grove ward on Brighton and Hove City Council, explains why he wants the policy in his new blog, the Muse of Muesli Mountain.
He cites an increase in dog fouling and “the increasing number of aggressive pit-bull type dogs around”.
He adds: “When they are on the lead, which isn’t very often, I have the uncomfortable feeling, in some cases, the dog is more intelligent than the human being at the other end of the lead.”
Some London boroughs make microchipping of dogs a condition of council tenancies. Cllr Randall would like to see the policy introduced throughout the country.
He cites government statistics showing in Sussex alone that the number of people treated in hospital after being attacked by a dog had risen 40 per cent in four years.
The numbers, reported by The Argus last month, went up from 56 in 2004 to 78 in 2008.
The Argus quoted a spokesman for the RSPCA in Sussex saying: “Our inspectors are seeing more and more youths and gangs using dogs as weapons.
“There is a major problem with people having dogs as status symbols. They are using them to look tough, intimidate others, and training them to be aggressive and attack people and animals.
“They believe if they have a dog they won’t be stopped by the police in the same way they would be if they carried knives.
“It’s not illegal to have a dog in most cases and we are seeing more and more people with stereotypically macho breeds.”
