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Downtime Pets-National News New rules on dangerous dogs
| New rules on dangerous dogs |
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| Tuesday, 09 October 2007 | |
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After an unusualy high number of
serious dog attacks in the past
few weeks, notably the killing of
a 10-year-old girl by her parents’ two
German mastiffs, Interior Minister
Michèle Alliot-Marie is to present
legislation to the Conseil des ministres,
tightening existing rules about dog
ownership and control on October 11.
Two categories of dog are affected
by existing law: • Category one includes pitbulls, Tosa- Inus, mastiff-type dogs and the like, which are not from a breed recognised in France. They may not be imported, bought, sold or given away in France. They are forbidden in public places and their sterilisation is compulsory. They must be muzzled and kept on a lead when outside in public. They cannot be kept in the communal areas of blocks of flats. They must be declared at the mairie, vaccinated against rabies and their owners must be insured against damage to other people. • Category two includes pedigree guard dogs such as Staffordshires and Rottweilers. They cannot be kept in the communal areas of blocks of flats either;.they too must be declared at the mairie and vaccinated and insured. Neither category can be owned by a minor, a person under tutelle – guardianship, any person convicted of a violent crime or any person who has already had a dog confiscated because it is dangerous. No animal of any sort should be allowed to wander uncontrolled in a public place.  The new rules will include : • Compulsory training for owners; • Presentation of a vet's certificate when declaring ownership at the mairie; • Cross breeding to create dogs that are similar to the banned breeds is to be forbidden. • Préfets will have increased powers to put down any dogs considered dangerous. • The importing of second category dogs is to be regulated. Often it is as much the owner that is at fault as the dogs. During a football match between Ayze and Magland in the Haute-Savoie, after the referee penalised a Magland player, a supporter of the Ayze team went home and fetched his American Staffordshire, which he ordered to attack the opposing team. In the confusion the dog bit the ankle of his own side’s goal-keeper. With this in mind, the introduction of dog licences is being considered, as in Germany where the number of attacks is far lower than in France. Rottweilers or Pitbulls are responsible for 85% of serious attacks by dogs but any dog, indeed any animal, can be dangerous to children. Vets say Labradors are notorious for biting. The current regulations on dangerous animals can be found on the ministry website www.interieur.gouv.fr |
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