Tougher dog control laws are to be introduced to reduce attacks after hundreds of children were treated in hospital in Glasgow last year.

Figures show more than 250 children treated for dog related injuries in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde hospitals from a total of more than 1400 cases.

The Scottish Government has started a consultation on legislation covering dog ownership and to crack down on irresponsible owners.

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The Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said it welcomed the consultation and said that better education among owners is also needed.

MSPs at Holyrood had previously said that dog control laws were “not fit for purpose” and demanded change.

A string of attacks have been reported where people and other animals have been left badly injured.

In March this year a dog and a woman were injured in an attack in Possilpark when an American bull terrier attacked another dog and its own owner’s girlfriend.

Also, in May, a swan was put down after what animal welfare officers said looked like a dog attack in Victoria Park.

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Ash Denham, community safety minister, said: “We are holding two reviews into dog control legislation because we are absolutely determined to help keep communities safe from irresponsible owners and their out-of-control dogs.

“Owning a dog brings with it certain responsibilities, including keeping your dog under effective control, and I encourage everyone with an interest in this area to respond to our consultation.”

One of the measures being considered is a national dog control database.

The SSPCA said it wanted a more uniform approach across the country.

Mike Flynn, chief superintendent of the Scottish SPCA said: “Currently, Police Scotland enforce the Dangerous Dogs Act and the Control Of Dogs legislation is imposed by the local authority.

“The Scottish SPCA would like to see uniform enforcement across Scotland. Some councils cannot share information between them so if the owner of a dog which has been deemed out of control moves to a different area, the local authority where the owner now lives may not have access to this data.”

He added: “There is no such thing as a bad breed, and the behaviour and personality a dog displays will always be a circumstance of the environment it is raised in and the training it receives.

“Education is key so that people know how to properly train and care for a dog but also to better understand breeds and what they are bred for.”