Would you sit a competency test to own a dog?

Think that all you need to own a dog is a loving nature and a willingness to go walking? Well think again. Owning a pooch might be about to become a great deal more costly than any of us could ever have imagined. According to speculation in the mainstream press, dog owners could be forced to undergo a ‘competency test' and may have to take out pet insurance by law under proposals entailed in a leaked government document.

While this is unconfirmed, several newspapers have reported that a consultation on ‘Dangerous Dogs' is expected to be launched by ministers in the coming weeks, with a number of wide-ranging plans intended to tackle the prevalence of dog-related injuries.

Why the need for competency tests?

Well, according to statistics from the Ministry of Justice, in 2007 alone there were 667 court proceedings following injuries sustained due to dangerously out of control dogs. Indeed, overall court cases regarding dangerous dogs are on the rise - up almost 10 per cent on the previous year.

The RSPCA - which represents the welfare of animals across the country - welcomes the fact that the government may well be preparing to "stage a serious debate" on the subject of dangerous dogs.

A spokesman for the charity said: "Any future legislation concerning the control of dogs should focus on the action of the owner and preventing irresponsible dog ownership."

The leaked document, prepared by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), allegedly discussed "suggestions for a competency test for all or some dog owners, akin to the driving theory test".

But that's not all. Dog owners could also be forced to plant microchips in their beloved pets, at an estimated cost of more than £20. However, perhaps the most significant was the suggestion of third-party insurance on all dogs. This would mean that owners of all dogs, no matter their size or ferocity, could be forced to pay for cover of potential injuries to another person.

How could this affect you?

If you already have pet insurance or are considering taking out a policy, it may well be worth looking into whether any third parties are covered - even though it's likely to be some time before any proposals would make their way into law.

Owners of certain breeds are already required to have third-party insurance on their dogs under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, while a number of pet policies will already cover third parties (though this is not automatically covered).

If you are planning to shop around for a quote soon, you might be interested to hear that all but one of Confused.com Pet Insurance panel offer third-party liability cover, either automatically or optionally, as part of their standard policy. When purchasing pet insurance, remember - it's crucially important to ensure you always have the right level of cover for your needs.

A step too far?

Regardless of this, many will question whether the regulation of all pet owners is a bridge too far. Furthermore, the RSPCA spokesman also raised concern over whether any potential legislation would lead to a rise in the number of pets being abandoned.

"Dog welfare isn't just about dangerous dogs," he said. "Strays and over-breeding are also areas that would need to be properly addressed as part of any comprehensive dog welfare strategy."

All in all, it's worth wondering; would such legislation simply end up doing more harm than good?