The justice secretary has ruled out a review of dog laws in the wake of attacks in Tayside.
Kenny MacAskill was responding to Dundee-based MSP Jenny Marra who told him current measures to prevent dangerous dog attacks simply are not working.
She raised the subject during Topical Questions after an eight-year-old girl was allegedly bitten by a Rottweiler in Dawson Park, Dundee, on Saturday.
A dog was seized from the Douglas area of the city and is in the possession of wardens. A 22-year-old woman was charged by police.
There have been a series of attacks across the wider region, prompting calls for the Government to consider preventative measures.
Afterward, Miss Marra told The Courier: “I think the public would feel safer if our law was designed to prevent dangerous dog attacks rather than deal with the consequences. I think it’s time for the Scottish Government to consider preventative action muzzling and lead requirements.
“How many more attacks will it take for the Scottish Government to take action on this? Their current law, which just reacts to an attack, isn’t even being used by Dundee City Council.
“It’s time the Scottish Government reviewed dog law. The current laws are not keeping children safe from dangerous dogs.”
Miss Marra said there were frequent dangerous dog attacks that the current legislation was not preventing.
Mr MacAskill said: “I’m aware of weekend reports of a dog attack on an eight-year-old girl in Dundee.
“Shona Robison (Dundee East) has already raised this with me and I appreciate the concerns raised and I’m sure the sympathies of the chamber go to the girl and her family as she recovers from her ordeal.
“Irresponsible owners who allow their dogs to be out of control should be subject to appropriate controls and sanctions.
“That’s why this parliament in 2010 extended the criminal law so that a dog can be dangerously out of control either in a public or private place.
“More recently I attended the justice committee last week to seek their approval for increased penalties to be available to our courts when dealing with out of control dogs.”
The provisions contained in the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010 give additional powers to local authorities to take action against out of control dogs.