THE Conservatives have vowed to rip up a government crackdown on dangerous dogs – branding it an unfair “dog tax”.

Proposals to force every owner to take out third party insurance – at an annual cost of at least £60 – in case their pet attacked a passer-by, went too far, they insisted.

They also accused the Government of pre-election spin by finally promising a consultation on the crackdown just two months before the country goes to the polls.

Nick Herbert, the Tory environment spokesman, said: “The problem of dangerous dogs is growing, but the Government's proposals risk penalising millions of law-abiding dog owners with the blunt instrument of a dog tax.

“We should be targeting the minority of irresponsible dog owners, not the vast majority who are responsible dog lovers.

“And we need to legislate carefully, not in haste, so that we don’t repeat the mistakes of the infamously flawed Dangerous Dogs Act.”

Last night, Jane Kennedy, the Wavertree MP whose constituency includes the home of four-year-old John Paul Massey, who was savaged to death by a pitbull last December, also suggested a compromise.

The Labour MP said: “I support chipping every dog, but I think it might be better to only force the owners of large dogs – those which are actually a risk – to take out insurance.”

The row blew up after Home Secretary Alan Johnson’s surprise announcement that a consultation on giving the 1991 Act more bite would include compulsory insurance cover.

As well as £10-£30 microchips to help track and destroy dangerous breeds, the crackdown would remove loopholes that have allowed some owners to keep banned types of dogs, with court permission.

And the laws would be extended to cover private property, to allow the victims of attacks – including postmen – to press charges, without having to pursue cases in the civil courts.

Mr Johnson pointed to growing public about “status dogs” being used to intimidate communities or even as a weapon by gangs.

The postal union welcomed the proposals as “long overdue", but there were protests from many dog owners.

Under the microchipping plan, dogs would carry their name, breed, age and health record, along with their owner’s address and phone number, details that would be stored on a national database.

The Conservatives declined to say whether they supported microchipping.