The Dangerous Dogs Act has "never really worked" because it only deals with certain breeds, a Tory MP has said as he called for a review of the law.
Andrew Rosindell, a Staffordshire bull terrier owner, said resources should be used to deal with any dangerous dogs, not just the four banned breeds.
His call follows the death on Thursday of three-year-old Dexter Neal, who was mauled by an American bulldog in Essex.
His uncle Ashley Coe wrote on Facebook of the "absolutely devastating loss".
Describing Dexter as his "darling nephew", he wrote in his post: "I can't even begin to describe the state we are all in."'
Mr Rosindell, MP for Romford, said the dog which attacked Dexter was not one of the breeds banned under the 1991 act, adding "You do need a complete review of this legislation. It's simply not effective."
Breeds banned by the act are pit bull terriers, the Japanese tosa, dogo Argentino and fila Brasileiro, types than have traditionally been bred for fighting.
The act also makes it an offence for an owner to allow any dog "to be dangerously out of control".
Mr Rosindell told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that he had long argued that the problem is not with the dogs but their owners.
"There are lots of breeds of dogs that can be just as dangerous as the ones listed in the Dangerous Dogs Act so to get rid of this legislation to replace it with a more flexible form of regulation means that the police and local authorities could then focus on where there is a known dangerous dog or an irresponsible owner," he told BBC Radio Four's Today programme.
"It is impossible for authorities to check every single dog [and owner]... but certainly if there's one incident then that dog and that owner would then have to be checked and warned, and if there's a second incident, then the authorities may want to take action.