Germany’s Proposed Dog Walking Law Stirs Consternation Among Pet Owners

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A proposed German law would require dogs to get exercise twice a day. Here, two pooches go for a walk in Frankfurt in 2016.

Michael Probst/AP

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Michael Probst/AP

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A spokesman for VDH, the German dog breeders’ association, said that a rule requiring specific amounts of time for dog walking doesn’t hit the mark.

VDH spokesman Udo Kopernik told the magazine Der Spiegel that the new rules would create minimum standards for dog dealers who don’t take animal welfare seriously. But for normal dog owners, he predicted little would change.

«A rule for all dogs is probably well meant, but unrealistic. Just like us humans, dogs are very different. There are dogs that need a lot more and some dogs that even get by with less,» Kopernik said in an interview with Bild. «With very old dogs, it is enough to just lead them around the block twice a day.»

The ordinance includes other provisions that have drawn less attention, including a ban on keeping dogs tethered to a chain, with an exception for working dogs under certain conditions.

Also included is a ban on exhibiting dogs at dog shows that have «tortured breeding characteristics.» This might include breeds such as the French bulldog or the pug, which often have breathing problems due to their breeding for a short snout. The new rule is meant to remove incentives to breed such dogs and reduce demand for them, according to a ministry press release.

The German animal welfare association called the proposed regulations a step in the right direction — but said the new rule doesn’t go far enough. The group’s president, Thomas Schröder, said prospective dog owners should be required to prove expertise on dog care and training before purchase.

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«A dog needs daily exercise in the open air and social contacts according to its needs. We welcome the fact that there are now more specific requirements,» Schröder said.

And he had a suggestion that would likely aid enforcement of any dog exercise laws: «If you want to protect dogs, you should also require owners to identify and register their four-legged friends.»

• animal welfare
• dogs
• Germany