Tell me what you think about dangerous dogs

One of the features in the new edition of The Putney Paper is about Dangerous Dogs. I know what an important issue this is all around the constituency - not just because constituents have been attacked by out of control dogs, but because the intimidation such dogs instil among residents goes far wider.

I think the Conservatives, who publicly boast that they want to introduce a £500 per pet Dog Tax, levied on all dogs they choose to define as "menacing", is utterly misguided. It seems they're trying to milk a legitimate concern for all it's worth.

I think that if registering dogs is needed - and I'm not convinced it is - microchipping, which would cost a more reasonable £25 and would also help return lost dogs to their owners quickly, is a better deal.

But the key issue here is actually not dogs: it's the tiny minority of irresponsible owners. Brutally mistreated, or deliberately trained to attack, pretty much any dog is going to become dangerous, sooner or later. It's owners who are responsible for dangerous dogs, and fortunately it's a tiny minority who behave irresponsibly. But we must crack down on that minority.

So I've set up a survey - and I'd really appreciate a few minutes of your time to give me your views. Just go to stuartking.net/dogsurvey. Thanks.