The Prague Post
October 10th, 2008
Endowment Fund     Business Listings ONLINE      Reservations      Classifieds    Subscriptions
Real Estate Prague Prague Rentals Prague Apartments Prague Art & Antiques

Home » Archives » News

Bill calls for all dogs to be leashed

Fines for littering and noise could also be set to increase

By Ondřej Bouda
Staff Writer, The Prague Post
June 18th, 2008 issue

JAN PŘEROVSKÝ/THE PRAGUE POST
Dog owners could face fines of 50,000 Kč for not leashing their dogs.
Law of the Land


Increased fines for minor offenses have appeared in several laws that are either being drafted or currently being discussed in Parliament:
Environment Minister Martin Bursík added a clause to a law regarding trash disposal that would impose a fine of 500,000 Kč for improperly throwing away large appliances such as a TV or refrigerator
Interior Minister Ivan Langer has called for offenses such as holding loud parties, littering with gum or cigarette butts and ignoring police to result in a 20,000 Kč fine
Although extreme fines have blocked the passage of several laws in the past, Agriculture Minister Petr Gandalovič, author of the animal-protection bill, defends the rising fees. "Every law needs to include a punishment measure large enough to deter citizens from breaking it," he said. "It is only logical for fines to rise as salaries do"

Dog owners are likely to be unhappy about a draft bill soon to be discussed in Parliament. Already approved by the government May 21, the regulation would require all dogs to be walked on leashes, or else owners could be fined 50,000 Kč ($3,175). It is part of an animal-protection bill intended to minimize cruelty to animals, and it has divided mayors as well as veterinarians and the public.
“A hike in fines has a very educational effect upon the population,” said Josef Duben, spokesman of the State Veterinary Administration, on one side of the argument. “Dogs not on a leash suffer because, for example, they could run away and get lost, so this is another way to prevent cruelty to animals.”
Policymakers in larger cities generally support the proposed law. “In many designated areas in Prague, such as parks, dogs without a leash can currently cost the owner 1,000 Kč on the spot, which can climb to 30,000 Kč if the case goes to court,” Deputy Mayor Rudolf Blažek said. Enforcing the new city ordinance, however, would be another matter. According to city statistics, only 148,000 Kč in dog-related fines was paid last year because police officers often had too much work to handle canine violations.
Some parents of small children also seem to welcome the new law. “Dogs will often run around children’s playgrounds bothering everyone,” said Eliška, a mother of two who lives in Prague. “As a mother, I fear for my children and would be glad if owners could be punished for endangering little children.”
Many living in smaller towns and villages, however, are stunned by the proposed piece of legislation. “When you live in the backcountry, dogs are a part of your daily life. The idea that they would have to be kept on leashes at all times is absurd,” said Petr Pávek, mayor of Jindřichovice pod Smrkem, north Bohemia. “A law demanding such things and threatening fees is insane and will make our daily life miserable.” Instead, he suggested, large cities should designate dog playgrounds in parks, as they do for children. “Effectively banning dogs is not a solution, but giving them a space to play apart from children should be,” Pávek said.
Dog breeders are also highly skeptical of such a law. “Dogs need to run around and play with other dogs and people. If they are kept on a leash all the time, they will never socialize properly and that will result in more attacks on people,” said Jana Baudyšová, a championship breeder from Kamenný Přívoz. “Dogs aren’t bad in and of themselves. Bad behavior is either the result of neglectful owners or a child who annoys them for hours until the dog has no option but to attack. Why don’t we keep children on leashes all the time? Protecting animals is definitely important, but it needs to be approached sensibly.”
Considering the reluctance of some politicians to the proposed law, it remains to be seen how it will fare in Parliament discussions this month.
“I myself would prefer fewer restrictive laws,” said Jaroslav Kubera, mayor of Teplice and a Civic Democratic senator. “It is true that some parents do complain about dogs harassing children, but that’s what we have municipal police for. When our officers see a teenager with a dangerous dog, they simply tell him to put it on a leash. That is after all the work of municipal policemen, to keep peace in neighborhoods,” Kuber explained.

Ondřej Bouda can be reached at news@praguepost.com


Other articles in News (18/06/2008):

Browse the Current Issue

If you enjoyed this article, why don't you subscribe to the print version!
We accept secure online transactions provided by PayPal and Moneybookers

Reader's comments:

add your comment
[17:23 19/06/2008] : >>Why don't we keep children on leashes all the time?

This is an excellent idea. However, not allowing dogs to ever be able to run freely, even in a park is hardly a way of "reducing cruelty".
Margot Winston
Prague
[08:06 24/06/2008] : This is quite horrible. Dogs badly need to be able to run around and socialize. It's cruel enough to keep them cooped up all day in a tiny apartment.

Let's hope we can trust the Czech government to use a bit more of the common sense.

Richand Anderson
Stockholm
[15:42 25/06/2008] : "If they are kept on a leash all the time, they will never socialize properly and that will result in more attacks on people,?

That is simply wrong. Dogs need to be obedient when out in public. They may roam freely within their master's yard (fenced in of course) and in dog parks here in the states. There are no attacks by dogs simply because of a leash law - although some aggressive breads attack regardless.

"Bad behavior is either the result of neglectful owners or a child who annoys them for hours until the dog has no option but to attack"

If the dogs' masters where being mindful and had their dogs fenced in or leashed, then the dog would not be in a position to attack. Unless of course the child entered the dog's yard.

Simply put, when in public dogs should be on a leash. Some dog parks should exist to let them run. If the owner does not have a yard of appropriate size for a large dog, then the owner should not own a large dog or possibly any dog.
Richard Elliot
Charlotte
[21:44 25/06/2008] : "Dogs need to be obedient when out in public."

And no doubt, in your little world, blacks should be kept indoors...
Margot Winston
Prague
[11:15 26/06/2008] : The government needs an "educational effect" as much as irresponsible dog owners. Punishing the majority of responsible owners won't accomplish a whole lot (other than padding the coffers). The cruelest thing I could do to my dog is tie her up on her leash and walk away. No law broken, eh?

Czechs are very canine friendly. There's a lot of public tolerance, and children learn respect towards dogs, not fear. This is a good thing. Some people fear dogs, and there are some dogs to fear, but both of these groups are relatively small here, thankfully. Fear-based legislation is not a good move - it's so... American.

The proposed law, as described in this article, is severe and badly conceived. Dogs can be restricted to leashes in urban parks where there are designated areas for them to run free. And I'll be the first in line at such a park. But my 4-year old dog will have lived out her natural life before I can expect one in our neighborhood. So until then, I'll be a criminal in the wild, tossing the frisbee and glacing over my shoulder, waiting to be "educated."
Elizabeth Fialova
Prague
[15:12 17/08/2008] : I fully agree with R. Elliot.
And for those who want their dogs to socialize, go to a dog training school, and hopefully they will fence the dog areas, where dogs can run free. And remember, it is all the irresponsible owner that has put this really remarkebel idea on paper. The irresponsible owner that don't even take notice of where their dog are when walking and "socializing" them!!! ne, chatting on the phone, or going shopping and so on, there are many examples, and now I am fed up having me leashed dogs attacked by the other dogs, and even a small dogs teeth are like razor blades, remember what they originally are ment for - in the wild, but we are not in the wild any longer, we are in Europe, in the civilized part of the world, or at least should be.
And if you have too small a flat for your dog! buy a parrot for christ sake. I hope you will get so many tickets, that you will have to move into a tent in the woods, then your dog can have a good outing.
Czech are canine friendly, but not human friendly, and that is propably why they don't respect you when you nicely ask them to call their dog and put it on a leash, because we socialize on our own time, and in our own way.
Bridget Jones
Prague
Note: Comments that include profanity, personal attacks or any other inappropriate material are prohibited.  

Add your comment


Full Name: *
City: *
E-mail: **
This comment can be published in the print version of The Prague Post
Enter the text on the right:
 visual captcha
Comment: *
* Required field. In order to be approved for display, comments must have a first and last name and a city.
** E-mails are required and will only be used for internal purposes.

Most visited in Business Listings

Hotel booking
The Prague Post Online contains a selection of articles that have been printed in
The Prague Post, a weekly newspaper published in the Czech Republic.
To subscribe to the print paper, click here.
Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.