Plans to force all owners to insure against their dogs attacking someone have met scepticism in Leicestershire.

Government proposals to overhaul the Dangerous Dogs Act include forcing owners to microchip dogs and new control orders for misbehaving animals. The orders would allow police and council officials to force irresponsible owners to muzzle, leash or neuter pets.

The mother of a six-year-old girl from Melton, scarred for life after being attacked by an akita, said the proposals would not have helped her child.

The woman, who did not wish to be named, said: "The Government wants to muzzle dogs that have been reported as misbehaving, by then it is too late.

"Even well-behaved dogs can snap, so I'd prefer a list of at-risk dog breeds drawn up which must be muzzled regardless of individual history."

The akita owner was ordered to pay the girl £500 after admitting being in charge of a dog which was dangerously out of control in a public place.

The woman added: "It was a very small amount of money, considering my daughter has been severely scarred on her arm for life. Third party insurance would financially help those who've been attacked."

Sara Whittaker, who owns the WitsEnd dog training school, in Aylestone, Leicester, said: "Bad behaviour by dogs is down to owners. Restrictions are worthless if you have an irresponsible owner. Enforcing insurance and microchipping would be an enormous task."

Ministers are considering making it an offence for owners to allow their dog to be "dangerously out of control'' in a private place. It would extend the law to private residences, and could protect postal staff.

Mark Greenhill, chairman of Communications Workers' Union in Leicester, which represents postal workers across the county, backed the ideas. He said: "There's an incident about once a week of a postal worker being injured by a dog. Either they're attacked outside a property, or their fingers are bitten as they post letters. This could prevent some incidents."

Five-month-old Cadey-Lee Deacon died in September, 2006, after her family's rottweiler bit her head, chest and abdomen at The Rocket pub, in New Parks, Leicester.

Home Secretary Alan Johnson, who set out the ideas in a speech to Parliament, said: "Some people breed and keep dogs for the sole purpose of intimidating others."

The proposals have not been tabled in Parliament. However, reform is supported by Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, and new powers are expected within a year regardless of who wins the General Election.

The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 makes it illegal to own controlled dogs, including pit bull terriers, without specific exemption from a court.