Ellie Lawrenson was mauled to death on New Year's Day

The move by Easington Council in County Durham, comes after a five-year-old girl was mauled to death by a pit bull terrier-type dog in Merseyside.

Anyone who owns a dog banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 can hand them over to the council.

But the Kennel Club says owners should be allowed to register dogs instead.

Four types of animal are banned under current legislation: pit bull terriers, the Japanese Tosa, the Dogo Argentino and the Fila Brazileiro.

Family pets

Easington Council said it was acting to protect residents from potentially dangerous animals.

But a spokeswoman for the Kennel Club, which organises the annual Crufts dog show and represents breeders, described the action of Easington Council as "deplorable".

She said: "The amnesty currently being carried out by Easington Council is a poorly thought out and ineffective response to a tragic situation.

"It will lead to the death of many well loved family pets and cause a great deal of distress to dog owners.

"The temperaments of pit bull-type dogs vary significantly since a dog's genetics (breed) has very little to do with its behaviour.

"The Kennel Club believes there should be a national alternative amnesty, whereby all owners of pit bull terrier type dogs would be able to apply to a court for their dog to be registered on the Index of Exempted Dogs."