Report a dog attack or out of control dog

It is a legal requirement to keep your dog under control. This is enforced by Swindon Borough Council and Wiltshire Police in the following ways:

  • Under The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, a dog can be deemed dangerous if a person is put in apprehension of being harmed whether or not any injury is caused. This now applies on both public and private land. Penalties can include a custodial sentence, a control or destruction order on the dog and an unlimited fine.
  • Under Dogs Act 1871, a complaint may be made to a magistrate’s court that a dog is dangerous and not kept under proper control. This may result in a destruction or control order being placed on the dog and is generally used for dog on dog attacks.
  • An officer may issue a Community Protection Notice (CPN) under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. This can include instructions such as ensuring the dog is muzzled, kept on lead or neutered. Under section 45, it is an offence not to comply with a CPN. The maximum penalty under this legislation is £2,500.

Most cases do not require or meet requirements for formal action and are dealt with by way of words of advice and/or a departmental warning. 

Please note: We would generally be unable to action a report unless you can provide details of the owner of the offending dog. We will however still log the report pending further information.

If you wish to report an incident regarding an out of control dog, please use the online form below. You will be asked to create a My Account before you can complete the form.

Report a dog attack/out of control dog

If you require assistance with your own dog’s behaviour, a list of local registered dog trainers and behaviourists can be found on the Association of Pet Dog Trainer’s website

For further information about controlling your dog in public, please see the Gov.uk website

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