Vienna-Sima / Maresch law on livestock: together for more security in public spaces

Complete package for the dog ownership 25.10. in the Parliament of the State – Beisskorbpflicht for the list of dogs is still under discussion

As expected, the twelfth amendment of the Animal Protection Act of 25 October is on the agenda of the Landtag in Vienna. Vienna already has a strict law on the protection of animals and has developed another security package with the police. This includes the United States' alcohol limit for dog owners in the list with 0.5 per thousand, similar to the regulations in force in the StVO. "We are concerned about the safety of the population, especially children, in our city, so we have developed a variety of measures," said Councilor Ulli Sima. With regard to the mandatory muzzle for the dogs on the list, this measure will be discussed in more detail. "We will use external expertise on this topic and will enlighten all aspects to make a good decision," said Rüdiger Maresch, spokesman for the animal welfare of the Greens of Vienna. This element is therefore treated separately and is not included in the current change. The measure concerns 3,335 list dogs, which represents 6% of all dogs registered in Vienna (55,581). "For me, the Beisskorbpflicht for list dogs is still a key action and we will therefore continue to discuss intensively with the coalition partners," said Sima.

The central points of the amendment to the law on the breeding:

– Limit alcohol consumption to dog owners from the list at 0.5 per thousand if they drive the dog on the street. – Analogy with the regulations in force in the StVO (also applies to drugs). Even until now, the owner was controlling his animal so that no danger came from him. The limit of alcohol specifies a specification. Minimum penalty 1,000 euros.

– Improved law enforcement for the authority: the police are better equipped to detect more quickly the unreliability of the owner of a pet. Until now, only a penalty had to be imposed to be able to intervene. By removing the phrase "valid sanction" before imposing the ban on keeping animals, the police can now act much more quickly and prohibit keeping animals

– Specification of the term animal ban: If this has been imposed, no dog can be kept in the same household. Until now, a dog owner subject to an animal ban was already the "clientelism" of a forbidden dog, it is now materialized and an exploitation of the same household is excluded.

– If a dog list is given to people without a dog ticket (said depository): 200 euros (was previously forbidden) – The second time: acceptance of the dog

– Stricter requirements for compulsory driving license, required by law in Vienna since 2010:

– Prolongation of the practical part of the exam – Limit period of the dog license: dog owners whose list has been drawn up must repeat the exam two years after the examination – License examiners can organize repeat exams, training sessions and pre-training – For all dogs: An official driver's license is required. Before starting the exam, the end of a 10-hour training session must be presented to a certified dog trainer.

– Prohibition of breeding list dogs in Vienna with a transition period of one year. Minimum penalty 1,000 euros.

Successful dog ticket model since 2010

Vienna has taken many measures in recent years and has already overhauled the Animal Protection Act 11 times in order to better manage the protection of people. Liability insurance for all dogs was therefore mandatory. The ability to take animals after incidents has been accelerated and the costs are borne by the holder in the event of a decrease. For pet traders, stricter rules have been established. The law bore the penalty of 20,000 euros.

In addition, Vienna introduced the compulsory dog ​​ticket for list dogs in 2010 and is a pioneer in Austria. To date, 6,579 dog tickets have been completed.

The evaluation showed: 63% fewer dog bites thanks to a dog pbad

Three years after the introduction of the compulsory license for dogs, the measure was evaluated by the Veterinary University 2013. The result was very positive: the number of bites by the dogs of the list decreased by 63%, while that the reduction of dog bites from the list to the man was even 70%.

Of the 412 dog bites between 2015 and today, 16% were caused by list dogs. The last bite with a list dog led to the death of a toddler.

Wide offer for dog owners in Vienna – preventive measures and "lessons" with dogs

– In Vienna, dog owners have a wide range of dog spaces and dog clearance areas; there are currently 194 dog shelters and dog areas of about 1.3 million m2 accessible to four-legged friends.

– For dog owners and their four-legged friends to be able to cope with everyday situations and grow together better, offers the Tierschutzombudsstelle Wien (TOW) for many years, the voluntary dog ​​ticket. Those who pbaded the exam will be reimbursed the dog fee (72 euros) for one year.

– Vienna relies on the coexistence of human beings and animals and therefore on awareness as early as childhood. Thus, the city of Vienna supports "special courses" as part of environmental education, as part of "days of safety education" in elementary schools. There is also clarification in the children's gardens about the "language" of dogs. In both models, children learn to behave properly with dogs, avoiding situations of danger and conflict as well as the respectful and safe handling of dogs.

Source: City of Vienna