Viennese dog owners put through the hoop

AUSTRIAN dog owners are being encouraged to take an "owner licence" to improve human/canine relations.

A two-hour exam will test how tolerant owners are of other animals and whether they understand dog ownership etiquette. Owners will be challenged on topics such as why a dog wags its tail, what it means when it yawns, and whether it is a good idea to take it shopping.

In the practical part of the exam, owners have to prove they can put on a muzzle, pick up droppings and take the dog on the underground rail system.

The licence, a "hundefuhrerschein", was introduced by Vienna's environmental councillor, Ulli Sima. She said: "We are trying to improve the way in which dogs function in the capital, as well as testing their and their owners' social skills. In so doing we're satisfying the safety needs of the population."

The focus was on "social tolerance rather than pure obedience". The $A45 licence is a response to a recent questionnaire in which 85 per cent of Viennese said the behaviour of dogs and their owners was poor. In another survey, 34 per cent said they felt threatened in the presence of dogs.

Politicians are under pressure to find a way of removing up to 10 tonnes of dog waste a day.

Owners who pass the test will be exempt from the $79 dog tax for a year.

Reference: www.theage.com.au

Return to the index...

This article has been viewed 1048 times.