New proposals about how owners of dangerous dogs should be dealt with by the courts are being announced today.

The move begins with a public consultation to help the Sentencing Council make sure that whenever owners of dangerous dogs appear in Court, appropriate sentences are passed.

Rising numbers of people being convicted has triggered a response by the Sentencing Council to ensure the guidance it gives courts is effective.

Courts currently have no guidelines for such offences and there have been concerns raised by magistrates and legal advisers that the absence of guidelines is a problem.

In 1991 six-year-old Rukhsana Khan was left with life-changing injuries when she was attacked by a pit bull terrier near her Bradford home. The case resulted in emergency laws being rushed through Parliament to criminalise dangerous behaviour in dogs and ban four dog breeds.

Ever since, campaigners, including the animal charity Blue Cross, have claimed the “knee-jerk” laws have still done nothing to protect children and the public from vicious dog attacks.

The consultation closes on March 8, 2012. To get details of how to have a say go to sentencingcouncil.org.uk.

Councillor Zameer Shah (Con, Bowling and Barkerend), who has called for stricter controls to help crack down on nuisance dogs and dangerous behaviour, welcomed the consultation.