Pet keeping——
Must abide by strict laws and regulations
It is an important prerequisite to keep pets without adversely affecting the public environment and the lives of others.
In many countries, the behavior of raising pets has strict laws and regulations, and people have gradually formed an awareness of regulating themselves and their pets in daily life.
Germany
Breeder's license examination is promoted in more regions
Hua Fang, our reporter in Germany
The more than one-year-old Labrador retriever Delk is curious about the outside world and always does not follow instructions when going out.
The owner Schmidt tried to train Delk on his own for many times, but with little success.
In the end, he sent Delk to a dog school in Berlin.
There, under the guidance of a professional dog trainer, Schmidt taught Delk to resist the temptations of food and balls and concentrate on obeying instructions.
"In just three class hours, I obviously felt that Delk was more obedient."
In order to help pets better integrate into human society, Germany has introduced many measures, and opening a dog school is one of them.
In schools, professional dog trainers will conduct targeted training on dogs, such as teaching them to recognize traffic lights and helping pet dogs adapt to the bus environment, so that they can better adapt to changes in the external environment and develop the habit of obeying the owner's instructions.
Since pet dogs need to travel every day, Germany has more detailed dog regulations.
According to German law, breeders must bring their pet dogs 3 months old to implant the chip and submit the chip number to the relevant agency for registration.
Once the pet dog leaves the enclosure, it must be accompanied by someone and wear a collar with the owner's name and address.
In public space, Germany also has strict restrictions on pet dogs.
Take Berlin as an example. Dogs are not allowed in public areas such as children’s play areas, clearly marked green spaces and swimming pools.
In other movable areas, pet owners must tie a leash for their dogs.
For different spaces, Berlin also has clear regulations on the length of the towing rope: for example, in areas such as public green spaces and stadiums, the length of the towing rope must not exceed 2 meters; in office areas and public transportation, the rope length must not 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 guard at all times. The owner of the dog must also pass a test and contact the local veterinary association, the dog education training and consulting association and other professional institutions Prove that they have sufficient professional knowledge and control capabilities for their own pets.
In addition, pet dog owners in Berlin also need 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 German cities allow pet dogs to take public transport.
Except for guide dogs and other working dog breeds that can take all public transportation for free in Germany, each bus company has different requirements on how to bring pet dogs on the bus and how to charge dogs.
For example, in the southern city of Nuremberg, small dogs in a pet box can travel for free, while other pet dogs need to be led by a short rope and purchase child tickets.
For pet dogs who often take transportation, some bus companies have also introduced special discount annual tickets.
Thanks to the strict management system, there are very few stray dogs on the streets of Germany.
If a resident adopts a pet dog in an animal shelter, the relevant agency will strictly review the applicant’s motives and basic conditions for adoption, and pay a return visit to the owner.
In Lower Saxony, northern Germany, which has the most stringent pet requirements, from July 1, 2013, residents must obtain a license to keep dogs.
In addition to examining the theoretical knowledge of the breeder, the license examination also needs to demonstrate the ability to control pets in emergencies.
In addition, the relatively high cost of raising pets in Germany has also discouraged some people.
In the regular pet market, the price of a pet dog is generally as high as thousands of euros.
Dog owners must also pay taxes for their dogs, and the specific tax amount is determined by each locality.
In Berlin, raising the first pet dog is subject to a tax of about 120 euros per year.
As the number of dogs raised increases, taxes and fees increase accordingly.
If residents commit tax evasion, they must make up the tax and pay a fine.
In some areas, such fines can be as high as 10,000 euros.
At present, in order to further regulate pet keeping behavior, regions outside Lower Saxony have also begun to actively promote canine qualification examinations.
In Munich and other places, if dog owners obtain a license, they can also apply to the local government for exemption from pet tax.
(This newspaper is from Berlin)
United Kingdom
Develop the awareness of regulating the behavior of oneself and pets
Our reporter Qiang Wei
The UK has formulated relatively complete laws and regulations to effectively manage pet breeding.
The "Animal Welfare Act" promulgated in 2006 is the most important animal rights legislation in the UK, which stipulates animal welfare and punishment for animal cruelty.
The "Pet Law", "Animal Boarding Place Law", "Dog Breeding Law" and other laws and regulations regulate all aspects of pet keeping.
In recent years, in order to earn high profits, some pet farms have allowed animals to overreproduce, causing serious damage to animal health.
In order to combat this phenomenon, in April 2020, the United Kingdom introduced the "Lucy Act", prohibiting third-party dealers from selling pet dogs and cats, and increasing the maximum sentence for animal cruelty from 6 months to 5 years.
After the passage of the law, people are only allowed to buy pets from licensed pet breeders or to adopt pets from relevant agencies, not from pet stores.
In addition to national laws, some local councils have also issued more detailed regulations on pet keeping.
For example, in some areas of Northampton, breeders must bring their own feces cleaning bags when walking their dogs, otherwise they will be fined 100 pounds (1 pound is about 8.8 yuan).
In some areas of Lancashire, not preventing pet dogs from barking will be considered illegal.
In the capital of London, breeders can take their pets on the subway, buses, trains, etc., but must comply with the relevant requirements of Transport for London.
Transport for London stipulates that pet owners must lead pets or put them in boxes or cages at all times, and station staff have the right to prohibit pets that behave inappropriately from entering the station.
When using the escalator, the breeder should pick up the pet to prevent its hair or nails from getting stuck in the escalator.
In addition, keepers also need to ensure that pets get along well with other passengers and keep a safe distance from passengers who are afraid of dogs.
In order to prevent pets from being lost due to travel, British law stipulates that breeders are obliged to implant microchips for pet dogs born over 8 weeks, otherwise they will face a fine of up to 500 pounds.
The basic information of breeders and dogs is stored on the chip, and the relevant data is stored in a data enterprise approved by the government.
Under the guidance of laws and regulations, many pet owners have developed the awareness of regulating themselves and their pet behavior in their daily lives.
Except in open green spaces and parks, the vast majority of British people will always lead dogs when walking their dogs and clean up pet feces in time.
Some breeders will pay attention to tightening the traction rope if they encounter old people or children when walking the dog.
For passers-by who want to interact with pets, the breeder will also actively make suggestions based on the dog's personality characteristics.
Although many people like animals, the cost of keeping pets in the UK is not low.
It is estimated that the minimum monthly cost of a pet dog or cat is about 70 pounds.
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 breeders who actively vaccinate their pets when they are young has dropped from 84% to 66% in 2019.
Among them, 17% of pet owners think "vaccine is too expensive".
Some pet organizations recommend that people fully consider issues such as cost before raising pets.
Thailand
Stop over-breeding and abandoning behaviors from the source
Our reporter in Thailand Zhao Yipu
In late December 2020, the Siam Museum in Bangkok, Thailand held a "cat community" theme exhibition.
There are cat playgrounds, night vision experience halls, pet cat breeding lectures and other rich contents at the event site. All visitors are free to enter.
The exhibition aims to promote the correct knowledge of raising cats to the public and calls on the city to give pet cats more space for activities.
On-site staff told reporters that the theme exhibition was very popular with locals. On the opening night, it attracted nearly 10,000 visitors with their pet cats.
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 approximately 4.6 baht).
However, the acceptance of scientific breeding concepts such as pet sterilization is low among the Thai people, leading to an increasing number of stray animals.
In order to curb over-breeding of dogs and cats from the source and reduce pet abandonment behavior, the Thai government launched a special operation "pet sterilization" in the second half of last year.
To this end, in Bangkok, Chonburi and other cities, the Ministry of Health of Thailand has cooperated with pet hospitals to promote the concept of dog and cat sterilization. It also sent mobile veterinarians to villages to carry out free clinics, sterilization operations and rabies vaccinations for pets of local people And complete sterilization.
In this operation, about 600,000 dogs and cats underwent free sterilization.
In addition, many animal protection organizations in Thailand will spontaneously neuter stray dogs and cats for free.
The director of Thonglor Pet Hospital in Bangkok, Differential Pattaku, believes that only by law and policy management can pet keeping behavior be truly regulated.
In recent years, the Thai government has issued a series of laws and policies to deal with the problems exposed in the pet management process.
In 2014, Thailand passed the "Animal Protection and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (Draft)".
In 2018, the draft was revised to include regulations on pet registration, pet owner obligations, and animal cruelty punishment.
Pet owners must cooperate with the local government to actively register their pets, and must not allow their pets to cause trouble to others or damage the environment in public places.
In addition, the owner shall not abuse or abandon the pet at will, otherwise the local government has the right to fine the pet owner up to 25,000 baht.
Thailand holds many pet exhibitions, pet sports games and other activities every year. While spreading the correct concept of pet breeding, it is also committed to promoting the rescue of abandoned pets.
In November last year, the 19th Thailand International Dog Exhibition was held in Bangkok.
Visitors are required to pay an entrance fee of 20 baht to help abandoned stray dogs and disabled dogs.
(Bangkok from this newspaper)
Japan
General pet dogs are not allowed to enter public places such as subways
Liu Junguo, our correspondent in Japan
Every morning or evening, the reporter will see many people walking with pet dogs near the residence.
Most pet owners carry a small bag, and can take out a water bottle or paper towel to rinse off at any time when the pet dog urinates.
This behavior is not only a clear requirement of government departments, but also a tacit pet raising etiquette.
In Japan, not affecting the lives of others is an important prerequisite for pets.
For this reason, Japan has long enacted laws to regulate pet keeping behavior.
In 1973, Japan enacted and implemented the "Animal Care Management Law", which stipulates that while keeping pets healthy, they should strive to ensure that pets do not affect the lives of others and do not cause harm to others' lives, bodies, and property.
In 2002, the Ministry of the Environment of Japan issued the "Standards for Feeding and Management of Domestic Animals".
The standard further stipulates that, in addition to their own homes, their own land surrounded by fences, and places that will not harm or affect the lives, health, and property of others, dog owners must use a leash when walking their dogs.
In order to prevent the occurrence and spread of rabies, Japan enacted and implemented the "Rabies Prevention Law" in 1950, which was revised several times afterwards.
The law stipulates that dog owners must vaccinate their dogs with rabies, otherwise they will be fined up to 200,000 yen (1 yuan equals 16 yen).
Thanks to the strict enforcement of this law, since 1956, Japan has not found any human cases of rabies.
Except for guide dogs and other working dog breeds, general pet dogs are not allowed to enter public places such as subway stations, shopping malls, and supermarkets.
Japanese rental houses also have clear regulations on whether to allow pets.
Even apartments that allow pets must avoid disturbing the lives of neighbors.
A friend told reporters that in the apartment where he lives, the neighbor’s pet dog had started barking loudly every morning, but it still did not improve after repeated reminders.
Under the coordination of the apartment manager, the neighbor eventually moved out of the apartment.
Under the overall legal framework for the whole country, local governments in Japan have also formulated pet keeping regulations applicable to local residents.
Take the Meguro district of Tokyo as an example. Local government officials told reporters that pet dog owners in this district must register with the district government within 60 days of raising the dog. Dogs 91 days after birth must be vaccinated once a year.
The dog registration certificate and rabies vaccination certificate must be attached to the dog collar.
In the event of a dog bite, the pet owner is obliged to report to the district government within 24 hours, take the dog to the veterinary hospital to check for rabies virus within 48 hours, and report the inspection result to the district government in time.
Residents can inquire about the content of specific regulations on the local government website. Government staff and volunteers will also take to the streets from time to time, distributing publicity leaflets and pet feces cleaning bags to the public.
In recent years, vicious cases of abuse of pet dogs and cats have also occurred in Japan.
The Japanese Diet amended the "Animal Care and Management Law" and officially implemented it in June 2020.
According to the revised law, for pet abuse, the penalties faced by breeders have been increased from the previous "imprisonment of less than two years or a fine of less than 2 million yen" to "imprisonment of less than 5 years or a fine of less than 5 million yen".
The new law also stipulates that starting from June, the sale of dogs and cats less than 56 days old will be prohibited, and from June 2022, domestic pets will be forced to implant chips to prevent pet abandonment.
(Tokyo Newspaper)