DOG collars will not have to show the owner’s address because of a concern about data protection, it has emerged, as politicians prepare a change to rules dog owners have to follow.
Constable Mike Jackson, the chair of the Constables’ Committee, was speaking in an Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel hearing where he was quizzed about the planned amendments to the Dogs (Jersey) Law 1961.
The law has been in place since 1961, when the “easiest” way for lost dogs to be returned to their owners was for their address to be on their dog collar, the panel was told.
Constables’ Committee secretary Sue De Gruchy said: “That was actually raised by a dog owner, in terms of personal data that is displayed at the moment, because the dog tag has to include the owner’s name and address.
“And as we’re all more concerned now with data protection, the view was taken that actually, perhaps the address no longer needs to be on there.”
Telephone numbers have been required on dog tags since 2016, she added.
The address is set to be replaced by the dog’s licence number on their dog tag, she added, which would allow parishes to find the owner’s address, while compulsory microchipping, as has been introduced in England and Wales, “wasn’t needed in Jersey”.
Jersey has had around 100 stray dogs a year, but most of them were lost dogs and were reclaimed within 24 hours, the panel was told.
Panel chair, Deputy Hilary Jeune and Mr Jackson agreed that there were too many laws around dogs, including the Dogs Law, Animal Welfare Law, and Policing of Beaches Regulations.
Deputy Jeune asked: “Do you feel that this has become a bit overcomplex with the amount of laws that touch on dogs?”
Mr Jackson answered that she was “probably right.”
