A COUPLE have been summonsed to appear in court on a civil charge relating to the ownership of dangerous dogs.

Erex Rahamim and Olga Keneally, of Sunny Gardens Road, Hendon, were served with papers by police on Wednesday under the Dogs Act 1871.

The matter is due to be heard at Hendon Magistrates Court on July 8.

The complaint relates to an act of Parliament which deals with the handling of stray and dangerous dogs.

It differs from the Dangerous Dogs Act, which prevents people from owning certain types of dog for breeding.

The 1871 act involves a civil, not criminal, proceeding, and can be brought by the police, local authority or member of the public.

A complaint can be made to the magistrates court that a dog is dangerous, and not kept under proper control.

Magistrates can make an order directing the dog be kept under proper control by the owner, or destroyed.

Police said if the order is not followed, the court can impose a fine.

Experts claim the “strength of the 1871 act” is that as it is not part of criminal law, proceedings can be taken even when a criminal offence has not been committed, such as when a dog attacks another animal, as opposed to a human.