I think in it's most simple form it's like this. It's about trying to instill a mandatory level of education amongst all owners rather than a few. It's about putting up an obstacle to those people who want to get a dog 'right now, this very second' and equally putting an obstacle up to those suppliers who want to sell a dog to the same 'right now, this second' type of buyers.

Is it perfect? No. I don't believe any law is.

Would it end BSL? Yes it would. It would legally place emphasis on owners not dogs.

Would it stop all the bad eggs? No. Again, I don't think any law can.

Would it stop an awful lot of them? Yes, I think it would.

Something called the broken windows theory is interesting reading.

By making those who are on the 'fringes' of law breaking realise that everyone is governed by the same rules and that dog ownership is a privilege that should be earned rather than a god given right, it would change cultural thinking. Passing an ownership test would become as accepted as passing a driving test or a cycling proficiency test.

For those who believe dog ownership should be a plain, god given right. They will never agree with this proposal. And I can accept that.