Report a dog attack
If you are the victim of a dog attack in Midlothian, or you witness an attack, please report it.
You will need to give a full account of the incident and its location. Either Midlothian Council or Police Scotland will investigate, depending on the circumstances.
How to report an attack
If the attack:
- is ongoing
- or you think there’s immediate danger to life or limb
call 999.
If the attack:
- has resulted in a bite or significant injury to a person or animal
- or was carried out with particular aggression
- or there's a risk of a repeat attack, including sheep worrying
call 101 (the Police Scotland non-emergency number).
If a dog has caused:
- alarm or fear, but no significant injury
- or minor injury to another animal
call Midlothian Council on 0131 561 5284.
What happens next
The agency you reported the attack to will look at the evidence and investigate it.
However in some cases, they may decide to refer it to the other agency. They will tell you they are doing this and why.
For example, the police need enough evidence to be able to prove a case in court. Otherwise they may refer the case to the council for possible action under the Control of Dogs legislation.
The legislation
Councils have powers under the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010 (PDF) to take action against dogs that are out of control (but not dangerous), and to enforce measures to improve a dog’s behaviour.
Police Scotland have powers under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 to take action against dogs that are dangerously out of control.
For deciding which agency should investigate, there is a protocol agreed between Police Scotland and Scottish Local Authorities. For a copy of the protocol, email the Contact Centre.