SNP MSP Willie Coffey says changing legislation could help enforce and punish, but it won't stop the attacks themselves.

What measures could help bring attack numbers down, he asks.

Claire Booth says the biggest thing would be to have all dogs in public places on leads and putting that in law.

"Control orders are a waste of time, they don't work."

She also calls for stricter controls on getting a dog.

Image source, bbc

Natalie Crawford warns there is no central system for dog control orders, so there is no way for dog wardens to know about people moving.

Claire Booth says she demanded her son Ryan get seen by a child psychologist, but only got one visit.

She adds the only support the family got was through the charity Changing Faces, external, who gave Ryan a lot of support in dealing with the way he looks.

The charity promotes culture of confidence, positivity and acceptance around disfigurement.

Labour MSP Anas Sarwar asks whether licensing and registering as a breeder or dog owner should be more robust.

Definitely, says Lisa Grady, especially for certain breeds.

"These control orders, I don't think they are effective at all."

We don't know that people are being monitored after the first control order has been made, Ms Grant adds.

Claire Booth highlights there have been questions about the costs of enforcement.

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Labour MSP Anas Sarwar says this past weekend he was at the park where there was a dog out of control that knocked one child over and traumatised another.

Mr Sarwar adds he is struck by what Ms Booth said about people being able to get a dog on Gumtree.

"Where is the control around someone who is fit to be a dog owner?"

Clearly there are people who should not be anywhere near children or dogs he says.

Lisa Grady, whose daughter was attacked by two rottweilers, replies the people who owned the dogs were breeding them.

Ms Grady explains the woman owner told the court she could not control the dogs, but only two weeks later she had another rottweiler which was subsequently taken away from her.

Tory MSP Liam Kerr asks about certain breeds having a predisposition to certain behaviours, meaning there should be perhaps some focus on specific breeds.

Natalie Crawford accepts this was the thinking behind the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, but for the Control of Dogs Act 2010 the focus is on "deeds, not breeds."

She adds, however, that the people she has spoken to throughout the Lead the Way Campaign have been attacked by big powerful breeds.

Image source, bbc

Dr Corfield points out any breed of dog can inflict an injury but the most significant injuries he has seen are from the bigger muscular dogs.

Tory MSP Liam Kerr asks if there is any guidance in place at A&E for dog attacks and whether the police should be contacted.

"We are not obliged to report to the police unless there has been a threat to life or a public order incident, " replies Dr Corfield.

Mr Kerr asks if the NHS should have a duty to report to the police.

There are issues with that, replies the Royal College of Emergency Medicine Scotland representative.

I believe there are a lot of attacks than go unreported, Veronica Lynch says, because people are too frightened of repercussions.

SNP MSP Colin Beattie asks if there is sufficient knowledge with local authorities, the police and the public the understand where to report incidents.

There is some confusion, says Ms Lynch.

She tells the story of one incident in Dundee where the dog owner died before charges or proceedings occurred, and the dog was let off.

Claire Booth insists certain breeds should have a ban on them, citing the attacks described this morning by rottweilers and English bull terriers.

Natalie Crawford from Radio Clyde News explains that in Glasgow and the West in 2018, nine people a day were attacked by dogs.

Natalie Crawford of the Lead the Way Campaign says the emotional impact of dog attacks are often the longest lasting.

Confusion around who is responsible for controlling dogs - the police or local authorities - is a common theme, she explains.

Dr Alasdair Corfield from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine Scotland says attacks like the ones we've heard today happen thousands of times a year in Scotland.

And those are just the ones counted by hospital admissions, as not everyone will attend A&E he explains.

"It's a public health issue", he says, adding a coordinated response is required.

Lisa Grady, whose 10 year old daughter was attacked by two rottweilers, tells the committee the dogs grabbed Rhianna of her bike and attacked her.

Ms Grady says her mum stopped the dogs but Rhianna's jaw had been broken in two places and she had a hole in her neck, as well as other injuries, she explains.

Image source, bbc

Ms Grady details the operations her daughter has had to undergo

"She basically turned into a recluse after the dog attack."

She is still suffering now physically and mentally, says Ms Grady.

Dr Judy Evans from the Royal College of Surgeons says children tend to have worse scars from attacks because their scar tissue grows as they do.

Dog attacks are very rarely a minor injury, even if it's not life threatening, she says.

Have surgeons seen an increase in the number of operations as a result of dog attacks, asks committee convener Jenny Marra.

Dr Evans says she does not have hard numbers, but across the UK dog attacks have become more common.

In the last ten years, hospital admissions have doubled, she adds.

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Veronica Lynch, whose daughter Kellie was killed by two dogs in 1989, agrees entirely with Claire Booth.

When Kellie died the laws were ineffective and nothing happened to anyone, Ms Lynch says.

She tells the committee the owner stupidly let Kellie take the two rottweilers out.

Her daughter had been decapitated Ms Booth tells MSPs.

"I think all dogs should be kept on a lead."

Ms Booth says there are too many people with dogs they cannot control and these dogs should not be pets.

I would like to see dogs kept on leads in all places, she states.

She tells the committee that her son is unable to visit parks now due to the fear of dogs not being on leads.

I am strongly against the "one free bite rule", Ms Booth adds.

Claire Booth says her son Ryan, who was six at the time, went for a walk collecting chestnuts when a white English bull terrier knocked him to the ground and attacked him.

Another bull terrier then joined the attack, she explains.

"It was carnage at the scene," Ms Booth tells the committee.

Ryan's ear was hanging off and Ms Booth says the owner was shouting" don't worry, the dogs won't touch you" as she screamed for help.

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Her son was left disfigured, she says and she felt the police did not help them.

"I was very frustrated with the police."

"The whole process was a bit farcical to be honest."

The owner was prosecuted and got the maximum community service and one dog was destroyed, but the other was given a control order which was never followed up.

He should have been jailed, she says.

Natalie Crawford, the journalist behind the Lead the Way Campaign, says thousands of people are going through emergency departments with dog attack injuries.

In terms of dog control notices, she highlights the in Glasgow, none were issued over a three year period.

Image source, bbc

MSPs are first taking evidence from:

• Claire Booth, whose son was attacked by two dogs, external
• Lisa Grady, whose daughter was attacked by two rottweilers
• Veronica and John Lynch, whose daughter Kelly was killed by two dogs in1989, external
• Dr Alasdair Corfield from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine Scotland
• Natalie Crawford from Radio Clyde News; Lead the Way Campaign, external
• Dr Judy Evans from the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh

Image source, MICHAL CIZEK

The Public Audit and Post-legislative Scrutiny Committee, external will begin shortly.

It is starting formal evidence sessions on the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act, following a series of public engagement meetings in December and January.

The committee will explore the effect of dog attacks, how authorities respond, how effective the Act is and what needs to change.

Read the committee papers, external here and written evidence, external here.

Speaking ahead of the session, convener Jenny Marra said: "The serious impact of such attacks on individuals and their families demonstrates the need for effective legislation in this field. The committee’s job is to consider the current law and whether and how it should be strengthened."

Image source, PA

Good morning and welcome to budget day with Holyrood Live on Thursday 21 February 2019.

First up, the post-legislative scrutiny committee is undertaking a review of the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act.

It is taking evidence from a range of people, including parents of children who have been victims of attacks.

At noon, we will bring extensive coverage of first minister's questions.

After that, Tory MSP Jamie Green leads a member's debate on sustainable transport - specifically focusing on low emission vehicles and new rail technology.

And finally, MSPs will discuss the Budget Bill at stage 3, with the vote at 5pm.