Elliot
Morley, then Labour Spokesman on Animal Welfare, pictured
with Dempsey the Pit Bull in January 1997. readers will be
delighted to know that Dempsey is still going strong,
having celebrated her 17th birthday on Monday of this week!
IN
THE recent Adjournment Debate in the House of Commons regarding
Dog welfare, the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act was mentioned in
some detail by DEFRA Animal Minister Elliot Morley.
Mr Morley’s comments on the DDA centred largely on pit
bull terriers and their perceived link to dog fighting. The
Minister said: "The main problem was the pit bull terrier,
which became notorious not only for illegal dog fighting but
for a number of well-documented attacks on individuals. It
is a very broad, muscular, smooth-haired dog noted for its
strength and determination: a very dangerous cocktail of characteristics
and features…
"Although I accept that many dog attacks are caused by
a lack of control, a lack of care and irresponsible owners,
we must recognise that some people will breed dogs that can
inflict terrible damage on people, particularly children,
and that are linked with the illegal dog-fighting rings. For
all those reasons, I believe that the legislation has a role
to play. It has been applied as carefully as the courts can
apply it, but there will always be difficult borderline cases
in which it is necessary to identify a dog under the breed-specific
provisions in the law. Overall, however, the legislation is
justified."
So it is clear from the Minister’s comments that his
regard of pit bulls is not high. In fact, his views have not
changed since December 1996 when Mr Morley, then just the
humble Opposition Spokesman for Animal Welfare was interviewed
by Nick Mays, for OUR DOGS, saying: "We do think there’s
an argument for legislation of this kind [the DDA], as pit
bull terriers are not a suitable breed to keep as a family
pet. I’m sure there are pit bull owners who will disagree
with me, but nonetheless they were originally bred for fighting…"
However, just one month later, in January 1997 Mr Morley attended
the NCDL’s "Dogs and the Law" symposium and
was more than happy to be photographed with one such "unsuitable
family pet" in the form of Dempsey, the pit bull terrier.
Dempsey, it will be recalled, was sentenced to death under
the DDA for having her muzzle removed in public to allow her
to be sick, and was incarcerated for three years until the
High Court overturned her death sentence on a legal technicality,
despite the best efforts of the CPS and Metropolitan Police
to have her destroyed.
Whereas (in one sense at least) the Minister is to be congratulated
for not changing his views in six years, it’s interesting
to see how politicians can cosy up to anyone if they think
it makes them look good. And there was a General Election
just four months away…
Well – Dempsey looks good in the photograph, at least,
and she was far too well-bred not to be put off by posing
with a politician…
* Look out for a special feature on this remarkable dog in
next week’s issue of OUR DOGS.
