Dogs in
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Latest Info: 2/10/00
Germany Draws Up New Dangerous Dogs Laws
Reproduced by kind permission of the Kennel Club
The German Federal Government is hoping to impose a new set of "dangerous dog" laws.
Although unconfirmed, the suggested legislation is tough and uncompromising and if agreed, will allow every region to create its own list and ban any number of breeds it wants.
INSPECTION
According to information recently posted on the
internet, the import of Staffordshire Bull Terriers, American Staffords and Pit
Bulls will be banned and Government officers would at any time have access to
homes and buildings for inspection and be able to enter any room.
Officers could be shown any article relating to the dogs, such as crates,
bedding and leads and they could, at any time, test the dog by taking urine,
blood or skin samples - with the owner's assistance. Any refusal to help could
result in a fine and possibly a prison sentence, The dogs could be forfeited.
Travel across Germany with a banned breed would be
forbidden without written permission from each region to be crossed. People from
other countries who want to take one of the banned breeds into Germany would
also have to seek permission.
Each region would have the authority to issue any type of restriction on
traveling with banned dogs - for instance, that the crate is locked, dog
muzzled, etc.,
The German government has also announced that it intends to change the animal protection laws, but no more is known about that.
The news will come as a great blow to dog owners in Germany who believed that the proposed legislation, which has caused distress to so many, was in tatters.
DIVERSE VIEWS
A recent meeting or representatives of the countries 16 states had to be abandoned because views were so diverse - ranging from no breed specific legislation at all to action being taken against 20 breeds.
Please read the information below and take action now.
The information presented on this page represents a collection of various peoples'
comments & views. All the information contained on this page has been reproduced with
the permission of the original authors.
What is it all about? (Legislation details added 3/8/00).
Where to send lobbying letters
Are Dogs being used as a scapegoat for Germany's social problems?
For those that are not aware of the situation in Germany right now, a terrible incident occurred in a school yard, a Pit Bull and an American Stafford killed a 6 year old boy in front of his school chums, the Pit Bull already had a restraining order on him following a previous attack on a dog, the owner is alleged to be a local gangster and drug dealer and subsequently the police did nothing through fear of him and the area in which he lived. Neither of these dogs were on a lead or under control. The media did what the media do best - hyped it! But worse, they name the AmStaff as a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, one of the UKs most popular family pets and as a direct result of the mass hysteria that followed, witch hunts were undertaken, innocent people with their innocent SBT's were hunted down and beaten, some to death, one Staffy was seized and set alight - alive - in front of his panic stricken owner. There are many Germans this week doing all they can to get their dogs OUT OF GERMANY! Information supplied by: Majesta@cableinet.co.uk
More detailed information can be found at: www.SaveOurBreeds.org.uk and http://www.dogzone.com/breedlaw/breedlaw.htm plus www.cdb.org
Full details of this can be found at www.staffords.co.uk
A new Egroup has been formed for the purpose of concerned people joining forces to fight this issue and share our resources, etc. There is also a public archive to access . The site will also be kept up to date of all the latest developments . Please consider joining, & mention it to all you know.....membership is growing fast, almost 300 members in just a few hours . The link is below:
http://www.egroups.com/group/DogHolocaust
Over the course of time the dog has been with us by our sides, watching over us, protecting our families, working our farms, providing loyal unquestioned companionship. His job's have been many, his loyalty never waning - even those that have been beaten are still loyal to their masters - and how do we repay our faithful friends? Well, whatever your fears are regarding the European Convention of the protection of pet animals, Germany have a far greater fear, a fear that has already been realised as the first large city, killed all its Stafford's and Pit-Bull-Terriers (05.07.2000). For those with a strong stomach, you can see the aftermath at http://www.bullterrier-in-not.de/massenmord.htm
(Addition: The city that killed its Bullterriers etc.
was Moenchengladbach. The perpetrators have been charged under the animal protection act.
Other people who have attacked dog owners or dogs have also been charged by the police.
Information supplied by Mr. M.Krohn 18/7/00)
There are many dogs on the "banned" list,
mostly bull terriers and mastiffs, these dogs are expected to pass a 3 HOUR
temperament test, if they pass they can live a licensed life of leads and muzzles, if they
fail - instant euthanasia.
(Addition: News from Hessen: there has been a meeting between the officials, the VDH (Kennel Club) and the vets' association, which has resulted in nothing noteworthy except for a standardised temperament test, which is now cut down to a simpler 1-hour procedure. Authorised assessors are VDH "experts" (no formal qualification required), a number of selected police dog "experts" (no formal qualification required) and vets who are also qualified behavioural scientists (of which there are 2 in the state). The VDH considers this to be a great achievement. Breed club chairmen present accused them of appeasement, satisfied with getting back little bits of what was wrongfully taken from us. True, but then they are the only ones who have got back anything at all - whether the AmStaff Club's all-or-nothing approach will prevail is doubtful. Information supplied by Mr. M.Krohn 2/8/00)
Write NOW to your EuroMP, and to Chancellor Schröder, Bundeskanzler Amt Schlossplatz 1 D - 10178 BERLIN GERMANY (email: bundeskanzler@bundeskanzler.de). Tell him this stinks, tell him this is not fair and cannot be tolerated, tell him this is no better than how Hitler behaved during the war, the German's hate to be reminded of their Nazi past. Everyone needs to shout and they need to shout LOUD! Info supplied by: www.Majesta.bun.com
The letter below was sent to me by: Email:Majesta@cableinet.co.uk. The letter was sent to Chancellor Schroder concerning the atrocities occurring in Germany . The lady who wrote the letter has given her permission for anyone to copy it & send it to him , also . It simply needs to be signed by individuals .
A reminder - Chancellor Schroder can be contacted at bundeskanzler@bundeskanzler.de
Dear Chancellor Schroder
Many responsible dog owners and breed enthusiasts were saddened to hear of the death of the young boy in Germany due to an attack from an AMERICAN STAFFORD and a PITBULL. We were also saddened to hear of the death of the 86 year old lady who was attacked by a ROTTWEILLER.
We are also very concerned at your government and media response to this. The press allegedly reported one of the dogs involved in the attack to be a STAFFORDSHIRE BULL TERRIER and as a result of this we are hearing reports of mass hysteria and the public taking the law into their own hands with no action being taken against them by the German police or law courts. One report we have heard of so far is of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier being seized from it’s owner, having petrol poured over it and being set alight while the owner of the dog was held down by the baying crowd. Another report was of an elderly lady returning to her car in a service area only to be confronted by thugs with baseball bats who beat this lady unconscious because, she had a Staffordshire Bull Terrier sticker on her car. There has also been a report of a Parson Jack Russell Terrier being kicked to death. According to reports we are receiving non of the assailants involved in these attacks have been brought to justice, in any other civilised country these people would have been brought before the courts and dealt with very severely, this barbaric behaviour is not a very good example to set before the youth of your country.
May I point out to you that the S.B.T. is not considered to be a dangerous dog in any other part of the world and is highly recommended by the veterinary fraternity as a suitable family pet. We are also very concerned that non of the breeds of German origin are included on your "LIST" most serious dog attacks in the U.K. are from Rottwiellers, Doberman Pincers, and German Shepherds, a child was killed by 3 Boxer dogs not so long ago but the British people did not go on the rampage and commit acts of barbarism against Boxers.
We are told that all responsible caring breeders; exhibitors and owners are living in fear of a knock at the door and having their poor innocent much loved family pets taken away from them.
Sir! This has a very familiar ring to it all, is German history repeating itself? Knocks at the door? Innocent victims being taken away? I hope not!
I understand that one of the dogs involved in the attack on the little boy already had a restraining orders against it and should have been removed from it’s owners premises but the police were too frightened to go into that area and remove the dog, had they done so this attack would never have taken place and that little boy would still be here today so therefore it was not the fault of anyone other than the German authorities, so can you please give us all an explanation as to why a breed of dog that was not even involved in this incident is being brutalised by the marauding masses in your country.
Yours distressed.
A less controversial lobbying letter can be found at: www.nationalterrier.co.uk
Where to send your Lobbying Letters (Germany)
Click
here for your MEP's contact details.
Click here for you MP's contact details.
First Published: 13/July/00
Last updated: 3 October 2000