A charity has welcomed a new inquiry that will look into whether the government is doing enough to tackle irresponsible dog owners.
The Department of Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) Select Committee will look at DEFRA's plans for dealing with irresponsible owners and if enough is being done to address the problem of dog control.
Claire Horton, chief executive at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, said: "Dog attacks and indiscriminate breeding continue and this is threatening the safety of everybody from the toddler, the young mother and the pensioner.
"It's so important that those people who use and abuse dogs to intimidate the public finally understand the damage they are doing in their own communities and society as a whole."
Battersea also welcomed new plans from the Home Office, which will introduce preventative measures to tackle irresponsible owners.
These plans include giving power to police and local authorities to protect the public by stopping irresponsible owners before they become a threat.
Ms Horton added that it is time to stop the culture of status dogs that leads to thousands of dogs being trained to be aggressive, while owners take no responsibility for their actions.
