Since July 2013, all dog owners have had to provide proof that they are able to hold and handle a dog.
With the law, the state government had reacted to biting attacks and thus dispensed with so-called rattle lists. Since 2013, 118,728 dog owners have passed the dog handler license exam. In addition to a theoretical part that you have to pass before you get a dog, there is also a practical part. The theoretical part is about knowledge about the dog. So questions about topics such as education, aggression and care. In the practical test, the dog owner must prove to a recognized expert examiner – for example a club, a dog school or a veterinarian – that he can assess the dog. Above all, he must recognize dangerous situations and show that the dog responds to commands such as “Sit!” and “Space!” hears.
State Animal Welfare Association: Dog law has proven its worth
Dieter Ruhnke from the State Animal Protection Association of Lower Saxony welcomes the dog license. He ensures safer handling of dogs in public. However, he finds it difficult that the practical part does not have to be done with his own dog. With the Lower Saxony Dogs Act (NHundG), all dogs must also be registered, have liability insurance and be chipped. “This means that 95 percent of the dogs found can be returned to their owners on the same day or the following day at the latest,” says Ruhnke. The number of abandoned dogs has also fallen significantly as a result of the obligation to register.
No uniform handling of dogs with behavioral problems
There is a need for improvement in dealing with dogs with behavioral problems. The districts classify dogs differently because of different evaluations, according to the chairman. He would also like to see a better and joint assessment of the animals by the veterinary and regulatory office in the case of biting attacks among dogs.
Labrador Retriever is the most popular breed in Lower Saxony
There are currently 38,386 dogs living in the Hanover region alone. A total of 498,508 are listed in the central dog register for Lower Saxony. Labrador Retrievers (60,812 registered) and Jack Russell Terriers (31,219 registered) live most frequently in Lower Saxony households. This is followed by golden retrievers (25,465 registered) and mixed breeds (24,556 registered). Even if, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, it is not possible to quantify whether biting attacks have decreased as a result of the dog license, the response to it is generally very positive.
Source : Tagesschau
