Closed petition: Amend Section 27 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 to include all public highways

Closed on 30 December 2025

The existing Act deals with keeping dogs on a lead whilst on a road 'designated' by the local authority, but such roads are very rare and this legislation is seldom used.

Since the pandemic, dog ownership has surged along with attacks and other dog related incidents.

The Highway Code states 'Do not let a dog out on the road on its own. Keep it on a short lead when walking on the pavement, road or path shared with cyclists or horse riders' but this is not easily enforceable and a dog has to be 'dangerously out of control' before anything can be done. Very often this is too late and even if the incident is reported, only the gravest are dealt with fully. I think this change to the law could help protect the public and animals and enable faster enforcement.