Tough new rules to cut down on dog attacks are in the pipeline, Environment Minister Arthur Hodgson said yesterday.

And stricter controls and whopping fines are all part of a bill designed to better control dogs.

Mr. Hodgson said: "Since we've been in office, we have been getting complaints about the whole question of dogs.

"It's something we've found rather unmanageable and hopefully we'll be able to get a better grip on things.'' A new amendment to the Dogs Act proposes that dogs will have to be on a leash whenever they are in public areas -- the current law only insists on a leash in paved public areas.

Fines for offences under the Act will rocket from $5000 to $10,000 -- plus the option of up to six months in jail.

The courts will now have a maximum ceiling of $10,000 in awards for injury or loss caused by a dog -- more than treble the current $3000 limit.

And every dog will now have to have a identification tag at all times -- removing the loophole that allowed a dog not to be tagged on the registered keeper's own property.

A new licencing system will also come into operation if the Act passes, with each dog having a unique identification number.

The Bill also requires every transfer of ownership to be reported to the Director of Agriculture and Fisheries, who will take over responsibility for licencing from the Postmaster General.

And dogs will have to be licenced at a month old -- three months lower than the current legislation.

Dog breeding will also be clamped down on, with new restrictions covering the licencing of breeders.

Breeder's licences are set to be issued for single breedings only -- not the current annual licence.

New rules for dogs announced New powers to revoke professional breeders' licences "to cover cases where the dog is a danger to public safety or the welfare of other animals'' are also included in the bill.

And a new section allows for "the seizure and forfeiture of dogs that are bred without a breeding licence, are kept in excess of the number permitted or are unlicenced.'' The Director of Agriculture will also get powers to mark stray or seized dogs with an identification tag.

Police will also get powers to enable them to demand identification of anyone in charge of a dog and details of the owner -- with a new offence of obstruction added to the law.

ANIMALS ALS