"Krone" provides an overview

What now applies to dog owners under the new law

Around 80,000 dogs are registered in Upper Austria.

(Bild: APA/dpa/Daniel Naupold)

On December 1, the new Upper Austrian dog ownership law comes into force for four-legged friends and their owners. From new tests to compulsory leashes and muzzles - the "Krone" provides an overview of what is changing.

Man's best friend" has a new law dedicated to him: from December 1st, stricter rules will apply to dogs and their owners in Upper Austria. Some of the changes only affect four-legged friends that are registered after the deadline, others apply to all dogs. The "Krone" provides an overview - see also the graphic below.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/stock.adobe)

• Large dogs: Dogs with a height at the withers (up to the shoulder) of at least 40 centimeters or a weight of at least 20 kilograms are considered large. Anyone registering new four-legged friends that exceed these dimensions after December 1 must pass a so-called everyday suitability test.
• Everyday fitness test: This test is intended to put the owner and dog team to the test and check, for example, how the four-legged friend behaves when a cyclist speeds past on a walk. The test can be taken by animal welfare qualified dog trainers or other certified examiners. If a dog fails, it is considered "conspicuous".

The path to the new law

The reason for the amendment to the law was tragic: in October 2023, American Staffordshire terriers fatally attacked a jogger (60) in Naarn, leading to calls for stricter rules.

Animal welfare councillor Michael Lindner (SPÖ) had an amendment drafted. The 13-page "Provincial law on the keeping of dogs" is probably the most far-reaching political "legacy" that the outgoing politician leaves behind from his time in government, as around 80,000 dogs are registered in Upper Austria. But the other parties also got involved, with the ÖVP, for example, claiming the list of six potentially dangerous breeds into law.

There was a lot of criticism of the amendment right up to the end: 140 comments were received. Animal rights activists in particular feared that the stricter requirements would cause many owners to hand their dogs over to the already overcrowded animal shelters. The law was passed in the state parliament in July, with only the MFG voting unanimously against it, and the Greens were against the breed list.

• Conspicuous dogs: In addition to the failed four-legged friends, those that show aggressive behavior without having been attacked themselves or that injure a person are also classified as "conspicuous".
• Leash and muzzle requirement: If four-legged friends are classified as "conspicuous", they must be kept on a leash and muzzled in public areas.
• Potentially dangerous breeds: The obligation to wear a lead and muzzle in public also applies from the dog's 12th month of life to the six breeds that are "potentially dangerous" according to the law: Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Dogo Argentino, American Pit Bull Terrier and Tosa Inu, as well as crossbreeds between them. In addition, owners of these "listed dogs" must also pass a suitability for everyday use test - even if they registered their dog before December 1.

What remains the same is that a six-hour certificate of competence is still required for all owners. Dog owners can click through all the new regulations and their transitional rules online: www.sichermithund.at