Radical new laws being proposed by the RSPCA could punish dog owners for not walking their pets.
Under the legislation, they would have to regularly exercise dogs, ensure animals are not kept chained up and give their pets adequate food and water, News Ltd newspapers say.
If the proposal became law, dog and cat owners across Australia would face prosecution and fines of up to $12,000 for animal cruelty, and magistrates could consider jail in extreme circumstances.
Dr Hugh Wirth, head of RSPCA Victoria, is one of four experts the Federal Department of Agriculture’s welfare division has appointed to draft national animal welfare guidelines.
“The draft will tell people what they have to do rather than what they want to do,” Dr Wirth said. “The new standards would be regulatory, therefore a breach of the standards is a breach of the law.”
The proposed new laws are designed to formalise the national code, which states dogs must be walked at least once a day.
Dr Wirth said jail sentences would not be handed out for a first offence, but it would something available for magistrates to consider.
The proposed laws would be designed to help overcome the problems animal inspectors have had penalising bad owners. The working party is designed to create a national standard, but ultimately the laws would have to be passed by state governments.
Article appeared on www.yahoo7.com.au, December 2009
By Sophie Pimblett
The RSPCA do great work, but I do believe this well meaning law has to be carefully reviewed. Cats cannot be controlled and many should never be let out of the house. They can live quite happily in a warm loving situation and litter box. Ideally dogs should be walked. However, I live in an area where there are many old people with small equally old dogs who are unable to leave their homes. Their pets are their lives. Small dogs can live happily in loving homes if taken into the garden several times a day. Many old people could not afford these fines and to lose their pets would be devastating for them.