Pet keeping must be jointly subject to strict legal norms How do countries do?

Pet keeping——

Strict legal norms must be complied with together

Not adversely affecting the public environment and the lives of others is an important prerequisite for pet keeping. In many countries, there are strict legal norms for pet behavior, and people have gradually formed a consciousness of regulating their own and pet behavior in their daily lives

Germany

Breeder licensing tests are being rolled out in more areas

Our correspondent in Germany, Hua Fang

The one-year-old Labrador del Bladeke is curious about the outside world and always does not follow instructions when he goes out. Schmidt, the master, repeatedly tried to train Delrk on his own, but with little success. Eventually, he sent Delrk to a dog school in Berlin. There, under the guidance of a professional dog trainer, Schmidt taught Delrk to resist temptations such as food and balls, concentrating on obeying instructions. "In just 3 lessons, I obviously felt that Delke was more obedient."

In order to help pets better integrate into human society, Germany has introduced many initiatives, and the opening of pet dog schools is one of them. In schools, professional dog trainers will conduct targeted training for dogs, such as teaching them to recognize traffic lights, helping pet dogs adapt to the bus environment, etc., so that they can better adapt to changes in the external environment and develop the habit of obeying the instructions of their owners.

Since dogs travel daily, German regulations for dogs are more detailed. According to German law, breeders must bring a pet dog that has been born for 3 months or more to implant a chip and submit the chip number to the relevant agency for registration. Once the dog has left the captivity space, it must be accompanied by someone and wear a collar with the owner's name and address written on it.

In public spaces, Germany also has strict restrictions on pet dogs. In Berlin, for example, dogs are not allowed in public areas such as children's play areas, well-marked green spaces and swimming pools. In other areas where there is room for activity, pet owners must tie a leash to their dog. For different spaces, Berlin also has clear rules on the length of the tow rope: for example, in areas such as public green spaces and stadiums, the length of the rope must not exceed 2 meters; in office areas and public transportation, the length of the rope cannot exceed 1 meter.

The Berlin government also stipulates that dangerous dogs that are aggressive and have a record of harming humans or other animals must wear a mouth covering at all times, and the owner of the dog must also pass the test to prove to professional institutions such as the local veterinary association and the dog education and training and consulting association that they have sufficient expertise and control over their pets. In addition, pet dog breeders in Berlin are required to purchase liability insurance for their dogs with a compensation amount of not less than 1 million euros (1 euro is about 7.9 yuan).

Most cities in Germany allow dogs to travel on public transport. In addition to the guide dog and other working dog breeds can use all public transport vehicles free of charge in Germany, each bus company has different requirements for how to bring pet dogs on the bus and how to charge dogs. For example, in the southern city of Nuremberg, small dogs in their kennels can ride for free, while other dogs need to be leashed and purchase a child ticket. For pet dogs who often take transportation, some bus companies have also introduced special preferential annual passes.

Thanks to a strict management system, there are few stray dogs on the streets of Germany. If a resident adopts a pet dog at an animal shelter, the relevant agency will conduct a strict review of the applicant's adoption motivation and basic conditions, and conduct a return visit to the breeder. In the northern German state of Lower Saxony, where pet keeping is the most stringent, from 1 July 2013, residents must obtain a license to keep a dog. In addition to examining the breeder's theoretical knowledge, the license examination also requires him to demonstrate the ability to control the pet in the event of an emergency.

In addition, the relatively high cost of pet rearing in Germany has also deterred some people. In the regular pet market, the price of a pet dog is generally as high as thousands of euros. Pet dog owners are also required to pay taxes on their dogs, the amount of which is determined by each region at its own discretion. In Berlin, raising your first pet dog is subject to a tax of around €120 per year. As the number of dogs kept increases, so does the tax. If residents commit tax evasion, they are required to pay the tax and pay a fine. In some areas, such fines can be up to 10,000 euros.

At present, in order to further regulate pet breeding behavior, areas outside Lower Saxony have also begun to actively promote the dog qualification examination. In places like Munich, if a dog owner obtains a license, they can also apply to the local government for a pet tax exemption.

(Berlin Telegraph)

United Kingdom

Develop a sense of regulating your own and your pet's behavior

Reporter Qiang Wei

The United Kingdom has formulated relatively complete laws and regulations to effectively manage pet breeding behavior. The Animal Welfare Act, introduced in 2006, is currently the uk's most important animal rights legislation, providing for animal welfare and penalties for animal cruelty. Laws and regulations such as the Pet Law, the Animal Foster Care Places Act, and the Dog Breeding Act regulate all aspects of pet breeding.

In recent years, some pet farms have over-bred animals in order to make high profits, causing serious damage to animal health. To combat this phenomenon, in April 2020, the UK introduced the Lucy Law, which prohibits third-party dealers from selling pet dogs and cats, and raises the maximum sentence for animal cruelty from 6 months to 5 years. After the law was passed, people were only allowed to buy from licensed pet breeders or adopt pets from relevant agencies, not from pet shops.

In addition to national laws, some local councils have introduced more detailed regulations on pet keeping. In some areas of Northampton, for example, breeders must bring their own fecal cleaning bags when walking their dogs, or they will be fined £100 (£1 is about 8.8 yuan). In parts of Lancashire, not stopping pet dogs from barking will be considered an offence.

In the capital, London, keepers can take their pets on the tube, buses, trains, etc., but must comply with the relevant requirements of the London Transport Authority. Transport for London stipulates that pet owners must always carry or put them in boxes or cages, and station staff have the right to prohibit pets from entering the station. When using escalators, keepers need to pick up their pets to prevent their hair or nails from getting stuck in the escalators. Breeders are also required to ensure that pets get along well with other passengers and maintain a safe distance from passengers who are afraid of dogs.

To prevent the loss of pets from traveling, UK law imposes an obligation on breeders to implant microchips in dogs older than 8 weeks old or face fines of up to £500. The basic information of the breeder and the dog is stored on the chip, and the relevant data is stored in the government-approved data enterprise.

Under the guidance of laws and regulations, many pet owners have developed the awareness of regulating their own and pet behavior in their daily lives. In addition to open green spaces and parks, the vast majority of British people will always hord their dogs when walking their dogs, and clean up pet feces in time. When walking the dog, if you encounter the elderly or children, some breeders will pay attention to tightening the leash. For passers-by who want to interact with their pets, breeders will also take the initiative to make suggestions based on the dog's personality characteristics.

Although many people love animals, the cost of pets in the UK is not low. It is estimated that the minimum cost per month for a pet dog or cat is around £70. According to surveys, about 62% of pet dog owners and 88% of pet cat owners said they underestimated the cost of breeding. In addition, since 2016, the proportion of keepers who actively vaccinate pets when they are young has dropped from 84% to 66% in 2019. Among them, pet owners believe that "vaccines are too expensive" account for 17%. Some pet agencies recommend that people fully consider issues such as cost before raising pets.

Thailand

Curb overbringing and abandonment at the source

Zhao Yipu, our correspondent in Thailand

In late December 2020, the Siam Museum in Bangkok, Thailand held an exhibition on the theme of "Cat Community". There are cat playgrounds, night vision experience halls, pet cat breeding lectures and other rich content, and all visitors can enter for free. The exhibition aims to promote the correct knowledge of cat ownership to the public, and calls on the city to give pet cats more space for activities. The on-site staff told reporters that the theme exhibition was popular with locals, and nearly 10,000 visitors came to experience it with pet cats on the opening night.

According to statistics, there are currently about 12 million Thai people raising pet dogs or cats, and the pet market value has exceeded 34 billion baht (1 yuan is about 4.6 baht). However, the acceptance of scientific breeding concepts such as pet sterilization among the Thai people has led to an increasing number of stray animals.

In order to curb the overbreeding of dogs and cats from the source and reduce pet abandonment, the Thai government launched a special action of "pet sterilization" in the second half of last year. To this end, in Bangkok, Chonburi and other cities, the Thai Ministry of Health and pet hospitals have cooperated to promote the concept of dog and cat sterilization, and also sent mobile veterinarians to villages to carry out free clinics, free of charge for local people's pets to sterilize, rabies vaccination and comprehensive sterilization. About 600,000 dogs and cats underwent free sterilization during the operation. In addition, many animal protection organizations in Thailand will also spontaneously sterilize stray dogs and cats for free.

Chaptaku, president of Bangkok Thong Lo Pet Hospital, believes that pet breeding behavior can only be truly regulated if it is managed by laws and policies. In recent years, the Thai government has introduced a series of laws and policies to deal with the problems exposed in the process of pet management. In 2014, Thailand passed the Animal Protection and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Bill (Draft). In 2018, the draft introduced a revised version that added regulations such as pet registration, pet owner obligations, and penalties for animal cruelty. Pet owners must cooperate with local governments, take the initiative to register their pets, and must not allow pets to cause trouble to others or damage the environment in public places. In addition, owners are not allowed to abuse or abandon pets at will, otherwise the local government has the right to impose fines of up to 25,000 baht on pet owners.

Thailand holds a number of pet exhibitions, pet sports meetings and other activities every year, and while spreading the correct pet breeding concept, it is also committed to promoting the rescue of abandoned pets. Last November, the 19th Thailand International Pet Dog Exhibition was held in Bangkok. Visitors will be charged an entrance fee of THB 20 for the rescue of abandoned stray and disabled dogs.

(Bangkok Telegraph)

Japan

Generally, pet dogs are not allowed to enter public places such as subways

Our correspondent in Japan, Liu Junguo

Every morning or evening, the reporter will see many people walking with pet dogs near the residence. Pet owners mostly carry a small bag, and when the pet dog defecates, they can take out the water bottle or paper towel at any time to rinse and clean. This behavior is both a clear requirement of the government department and a tacit pet keeping etiquette.

In Japan, not affecting the lives of others is an important prerequisite for pet raising. To this end, Japan has long enacted laws to regulate pet keeping. In 1973, Japan enacted and implemented the Animal Care Management Act, which stipulates that keepers should ensure the health of pets while striving to ensure that pets do not affect the lives of others and do not cause harm to the lives, bodies and property of others. In 2002, the Ministry of the Environment of Japan promulgated the "Standards for the Breeding and Management of Household Animals, etc." The standard further stipulates that dog owners must use a leash when walking their dogs, except for their own interiors, their own land surrounded by fences, and places that do not cause harm or impact on the lives, bodies and property of others.

In order to prevent the occurrence and spread of rabies, in 1950, Japan formulated and implemented the Rabies Prevention Act, which has been revised several times since then. The law stipulates that dog owners must vaccinate their dogs against rabies, or they will be fined up to 200,000 yen (1 yuan or about 16 yen). Thanks to the strict enforcement of the law, no more cases of rabies infection have been detected in Japan since 1956.

Except for guide dogs and other working dogs, generally pet dogs are not allowed to enter public places such as subway stations, shopping malls, and supermarkets. Rental housing in Japan also has clear regulations on whether pets are allowed. Even in apartments where petting is allowed, it is important to avoid disturbing the lives of neighbors. A friend told reporters that in the apartment where he lived, the neighbor's pet dog had begun to bark loudly every morning, and after repeated reminders, it still did not improve. Coordinated by the apartment administrator, the neighbor eventually moved out of the apartment.

Within the overall legal framework for the whole country, local governments in Japan have also established pet breeding regulations that apply to local residents. Taking Tokyo's Meguro Ward as an example, local government staff told reporters that pet dog owners in the district must register with the district government within 60 days of raising dogs, and dogs born 91 days later must be vaccinated against rabies once a year. The dog registration certificate and rabies vaccination certificate must be tied to the kennel. In the event of a dog bite, the pet owner is obliged to report to the district government within 24 hours, take the pet dog to the veterinary hospital within 48 hours to check whether it carries rabies virus, and report the inspection results to the district government in time. Residents can check the specific specifications on the local government website, and government workers and volunteers will also take to the streets from time to time to distribute civilized pet leaflets and pet feces cleaning bags to the public.

In recent years, vicious abuse of pet dogs and cats has also occurred in Japan. The Diet of Japan amended the Animal Care Management Act and came into effect in June 2020. Under the amended law, the penalty for pet abuse has been raised from the previous "imprisonment of less than two years or a fine of less than 2 million yen" to "a term of imprisonment of less than 5 years or a fine of less than 5 million yen." The new law also prohibits the sale of dogs and cats within 56 days of age starting in June, and from June 2022, it is mandatory for domestic pets to implant chips to prevent pet abandonment.

(Tokyo-telecommunications)

Source: People's Daily