Should there be a mandatory licence for dog ownership.?

Question

How could it be enforced, and what rules would be required for it's implementation?

Answer 1

Yes, and there should also be a mandatory intelligence test for prospective dog owners.

Answer 2

Yes, and there was a requirement for dogs to be licenced in the UK once! However, enforcing it is near impossible and given that the UK licence ended up costing more than the paper it was written on the Law was changed. It could, theoretically, be enforced as was my TV licence some years ago when I bought it with my credit card. My address details landed up with TV licencing and I suddenly received a letter asking me if I had a licence and telling me if I didn't I must get one.

This would work if breeders and shelters were legally obliged to pass on owners details to central government, but of course wouldn't cover dogs bred by private individuals or sold in free ads and so on.

It would be a start though! It would be ideal to think that all dogs not owned by registered breeders would have to be neutered (only today did a shelter I am trying to help report the putting to sleep of some healthy young dogs just because they had no home and the Council pound they were in couldn't accommodate them). There are so many dogs being killed in pounds due to lack of homes, without more being bred indiscriminately.

I would also press for all dogs to be chipped or at least to wear collars with ID at all times. That said, here in England, where we have normally only one dog warden per Council area, who only works 9 to 5 and only on weekdays, it is clear that the Government don't give a stuff about dogs until one (for whatever reason) hurts a human. Only then do they realise there is a situation to address and they acknowledge dogs are a part of a persons life by demanding that the dog is put to sleep.

Answer 3

No, I disagree with dog licences. As far as I am concerned, this would be another form of taxation and we have enough of that, thank you. Dog licences would solve none of the so called 'dog-related' problems which are being hyped at the moment. Like many others, I am a responsible dog owner and I do not need to be taxed for it. I already pay Council Tax and I don't need this to be increased in order to pay for the enforcement of laws and rules which could never be enforced anyway.

Answer 4

to be honest i have 3 dogs and i do think a licence would be a good plan but i still say that dog breeders should be a lot more responsible in who they sell the dogs to in the first place, and that once an animal is reported as dangerous the OWNERS should be checked out not just the dogs!!!
but hey if you get licences for dogs whats everyone with horses, lama's and goats guna do cos i got bit by a goat and nearly lost my finger
BRING ON THE DANGEROUS FARM ANIMAL LAWS!!!!!
:)

Answer 5

I think people should license their dogs. I'm not sure that licensing people to own dogs is the best way to go or would achieve much in terms of preventing abuse, vicious dogs, overbreeding and other problems. I could be in favor of carefully crafted mandatory spay and neuter laws and requiring licenses for breeders to reduce backyard breeding and puppy mills and the pet overpopulation problem. The biggest problem with all of it is that animal control agencies are seriously underfunded and enforcement of existing laws is non-existent. Existing dog license regulations are largely unenforced and public participation rates are woefully low. I work for a different type of regulatory agency and already know that you never can realistically collect enough from permit fees and fines to fully fund a good enforcement program of any kind - a government subsidy is always required to make it work (which is why police departments for example are forever asking for more money). That is the main problem with any type of licensing system proposed for owners, dogs or breeding - affording sufficient enforcement to make it actually work. Sometimes more regulations are not the best tool for solving problems.

The only way to really solve the pet overpopulation problem is more public education, incentives for owner participation and voluntary participation by breeders. One of the best changes in the last 10 years is early spay/neuter at shelters. Most shelters now won't release animals that haven't been spayed or neutered and they are spaying and neutering as young as 8 weeks. Getting an agreement from an adopter was not enough - only about 20% ever returned to do the surgery. Also trap-neuter-release of feral cats is making a big difference in the cat overpopulation problem. And shelters of all different types are banding together to support each other's missions instead of competing with each other - and this is helping the situation. Our private humane society had extra space recently so we took 5 dogs from the overcrowded County shelter. Our shelter also helps our local trap-neuter-release feral cat group by spaying and neutering low cost for them and by fostering litters of kittens from ferals so they can be tamed and adopted. One group in our area spays and neuters pit bulls for free to reduce their overpopulation problem which is worse than other breeds. Purebred rescues help keep purebred dogs out of the shelter system, making more room for other dogs. Even legitimate responsible breeders could do more, by doing early spay and neuter on their pet quality puppies instead of leaving to owners. Tougher sentencing laws for animal abuse since it has been linked to future violence against humans also helps.

There's a lot that can be done, and some but not all of it is regulatory.

Answer 6

All of my dogs have licenses. I have to get them every three years through my county. If my dog didn't have a license and got picked up by an animal control officer I would be fined and then have to buy a license for the dog.

Answer 7

Yes. People should be required to show tht they know how to manage a dog, and licensed before being allowed to buy a dog. This would avoid a) a lot of dog attacks, and b) a lot of dog abandonment!

Answer 8

Yes. Dogs are the only common pet that can be violent (and frequently are, once they join up with a pack). That way, dogs aren't abused, and puppy mills and backyard breeders would be put out of business. I think that in order to go to a vet, adopt a dog from a shelter, or buy a dog from a breeder they would have to see your license.

In order to get a license you should have a fence, or an invisible fence, and enough income to buy food and toys for it. And cops can have a list of addresses that are licensed and if they see a dog in someone's yard, and they aren't licensed, then that person can be fined and forced to get a license.

And breeders should have to get a special license, and be have their property examined before thay are granted a license, and they could have special authorization to issue licenses, maybe?

Answer 9

Hi, they have them back home in Canada, but im a bit foggy aboutt he details. I think they could cut downon the amount of animal cruelty which means it would be a good thing!

Answer 10

Depending on your local city governmement laws, and the place where you live. It is basically mandatory everywhere in the U.S, because they need to be sure that the animal has had all the required vaccines (especially for rabies), and that it is safe to keep in within the city.