[News] Turin, Italy Dog Owners Must Walk Their Dogs Three Times A Day

[fasteddie]

ROME - Dog owners in Turin will be fined up to 500 euros ($650) if they don’t walk their pets at least three times a day, under a new law from the city’s council.

People will also be banned from dyeing their pets’ fur or “any form of animal mutilation” for merely aesthetic motives such as docking dogs’ tails, under the law about to be passed in the northern Italian city.

“In Turin it will be illegal to turn one’s dog into a ridiculous fluffy toy,” the city’s La Stampa daily reported.

Italians can already be fined up to 10,000 euros and spend a year in prison if found guilty of torturing or abandoning their pets, but Turin’s new rules go into much greater detail.

Dogs may be led for walks by people on bicycles, the rules say, "but not in a way that would tire the animal too much."

Italy considers itself an animal-loving nation and in many cities stray cats are protected by law. Still some 150,000 pet dogs and 200,000 cats are abandoned in Italy every year, according to animal rights groups.

To enforce the law, Turin police would rely largely on the help of tipsters spotting cruel treatment by their neighbors, La Stampa reported.

It said the 20-page rulebook gives Turin the most stringent animal protection rules in the country. It even bans fairgrounds from giving away goldfish in plastic bags.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7601359/

[orinskye]

ok........... that is to the point where i wouldnt have a pet

[YappyScrappy]

Ok...that is nuts...make kids walk three times a day, maybe (haha)..Actually, Italian kids (and people in general) are in good shape from walking so much...I haven't been to Turin, but spent 16 days in Italy in December '04 on my honeymoon....that is pretty much all I know how to say...."We are on our honeymoon" = "Siamo in luna di miele" haha

[StewiesMom]

I think it's great, but Stewie is lucky if he gets one walk a day. There's no way they can enforce it. I think the point is to make sure that people realize that pets need exercise and take a lot of time out of people's days.

[natalie]

I wonder if they still enforce it if it's raining.

[Mystify79]

Wow.. 3 times a day is a bit much. Tuffy hates going on walks so it would be a chore for both of us. The upside to that is I would sure get into shape fast!

[Harbinger]

Teh 3 walk a day I'm sure would include quick potty outings so it's not so outrageous. Now the tail docking is interesting... Remember our little guys (for the most part) have docked tails.

[StewiesMom]

What happened to that post?

[fasteddie]

Did you mean this post, Harbinger?

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