140 statements

140 comments on stricter dog ownership law

A general leash and muzzle requirement is to be introduced for six breeds.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com)

The review period for a stricter dog keeping law in Upper Austria comes to an end on Tuesday. Around 140 comments had been submitted by Monday evening. The reason for the amendment is the fatal bite attack on a female jogger in Naarn in October 2023. Six breeds are to be considered dangerous in future, which, according to the dominant criticism, is not approved of.

However, there are not 140 different opinions, but "very much the same", noted the office of Animal Welfare Councillor Michael Lindner (SPÖ). In principle, the plan to classify bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers, Dogo Argentino, pit bulls and Tosa Inu as dangerous breeds by law in Upper Austria in future has been met with disapproval. From the age of 13 months, a general leash and muzzle requirement in public areas should also apply for these dogs.

Practical test for large dogs
In addition, people who want to get a "dangerous" dog must meet higher training criteria. This would also apply to owners of all large animals with a height at the withers (height behind the shoulder blade) of more than 40 centimetres or a weight of more than 20 kilograms. Specifically, in addition to the general certificate of competence, a practical test, a so-called everyday suitability test, would then also be mandatory. This would test the behavior of the dog and owner in normal everyday situations such as in traffic or in crowds.

"Burden for animal shelters"
The animal welfare organization Vier Pfoten is a critic of the upcoming change in the law, and its statement was correspondingly negative. It referred to the current state of research, according to which breeds "say absolutely nothing about the dangerousness of a dog". Furthermore, large dogs were also placed "under general suspicion". This would make it almost impossible to place a large number of animals. "The effects on animal shelters will be catastrophic, predicts Veronika Weissenböck from Vier Pfoten. For her, it is "completely incomprehensible why the further categorization of dogs into weight and size classes will result in a further wave of decreases and disposals and thus an additional burden on animal shelters."

Provincial councillor defends draft
The office of Provincial Animal Welfare Councillor Michael Lindner (SPÖ) said that suggestions would be taken as an opportunity to tighten up the draft as much as possible. In addition, a completely new and improved Upper Austrian dog register and the associated law are to be developed in parallel. Dog Register and the associated ordinances are in the works. This also includes a comprehensive information campaign and training courses for municipalities that will ultimately enforce the law.

More room for maneuver
Lindner is convinced by the draft: "With this law, we are giving municipalities more scope for action and can act in future before something happens." In addition, all parties represented in the state parliament were able to agree on the key points of the law during the debate in the subcommittee.

The state councillor also takes the situation in animal shelters seriously: "I am aware that animal shelters are already working at the limits of their capacity. To ensure that the operators can continue to fulfill their valuable task, the framework conditions must be right - I will continue to work towards this!"

More opportunities for municipalities
In general, the amendment is also intended to give municipalities more room for maneuver in order to better protect the population. One prerequisite for this is the possibility of passing on data in the event of a "conspicuous" dog. In future, it will be possible to ensure that the animal is also listed as conspicuous at the new place of residence when the owner moves house or when the dog is handed over to a new owner.

New options are also to be given to local authorities in the event of nuisance or biting incidents. The catalog of measures ranges from a ban on keeping dogs in certain places, prohibiting certain people from keeping an animal, to the removal of the dog. In this regard, there are "suggestions in the comments to make the new legal basis as administrative and simple as possible".