LONDON Councils has joined News Shopper in calling on the government to crack down on dangerous dogs.

The body, which represents the capital’s 33 local authorities, wants to see a change in the law to make dog attacks on private land illegal and to make enforcement of current dangerous dog legislation faster, more streamlined and cheaper.

It also wants to increase the penalty for owning a banned type of dog in line with carrying an offensive weapon.

These are all objectives in News Shopper's own Shop A Dog campaign.

London Councils’ executive member for crime and public protection, Councillor Claire Kober, said: "Community safety is a top priority for London’s councils.

"People need to be reassured that local authorities have the powers and resources to deal with dangerous dogs."

She added: "People were sickened by the recent dog attack on policemen in east London and they are worried about dangerous, uncontrolled dogs and thugs using ‘status dogs’ as weapons.

"I urge ministers to publish plans as soon as possible and work with us to make sure we have effective measures to tackle this menace."

Dog attacks on people in England cost the NHS £3.3m in 2009 and around 6,000 postal workers are attacked by dogs each year.

The number of dogs seized by the Met rose from 193 in 2006 to 1,107 in 2010, with the number destroyed going up from 27 to 563 in the same period.

For more information, visit londoncouncils.gov.uk or call 020 7934 9999.

What News Shopper wants

- Increase the sentence for owning a banned dog - in line with carrying a knife. The current banned types are: pit bull terrier, Japanese tosa, dogo Argentino and fila Braziliero.

- Extend the law to include dog attacks on private land - therefore protecting workers such as postmen and carers.

- Increase the prison sentences for owners convicted of allowing their dog to attack humans.

- Force all Staffordshire Bull Terriers to wear a muzzle in public.

- Simplify the court process so that banned dogs can be destroyed immediately.