Gassi law: 2022 dog owners have to look at the clock when going for a walk

Created: 04/21/2022, 14:53

By: Mark Stoffers

2022 is all about a new animal protection dog regulation: Dog owners and dog breeders in particular have to adapt to stricter rules.

Berlin - "Pets are not cuddly toys - their needs must be taken into account." A quote that goes back to the former Minister of Agriculture Julia Klöckner at the German Press Agency (dpa).

So that this saying does not simply fade away in connection with Germany's most popular pet, the changes for dogs in the Animal Welfare Dog Ordinance were recorded by the federal government.

In the so-called Gassi-Gesetz 2022, as it is already known in German vernacular, there are some fundamental innovations for Germany's dog owners and breeders, as reported by kreiszeitung.de *.

Gassi-Gesetz: Animal Welfare Dog Ordinance 2022 obliges dog owners - species-appropriate husbandry is a must

Because while one dog owner cherishes and cares for his dog, offers his beloved four-legged friend a run and subordinates everything or much to the dog's well-being, the interests of the popular pet are neglected in some households.

The Animal Welfare Dog Ordinance 2022 is intended to prevent the latter in order to do justice to man's best friend at all levels.

The federal government is now explicitly making dog owners responsible for this with the Gassi Act.

According to the Gassi-Gesetz, it is important to ensure that dogs are kept in a species-appropriate manner.

The Animal Welfare Dog Ordinance means, for example, that dogs get enough exercise and exercise and are not left alone for too long in order to prevent loneliness.

“We are now adapting the requirements for their husbandry to recommendations from experts.

In this way, we ensure an improvement in animal protection and animal welfare," said former Minister Klöckner about her draft.

New rules for dog owners: the Gassi-Gesetz is intended to minimize grievances and omissions in dog ownership

The rules for walking the funny four-legged friends extend from the actual dog ownership, through the care of the dogs to dog breeding and the socialization of puppies, in order to perhaps not completely put a stop to the grievances and gross omissions, but at least to minimize them.

Because while a blind man gives a blind dog the loving home that the fur nose needs, the four-legged friends can also become the cute face of a sad trend.

We're talking about teacup dogs like Snowball - they are so small that they fit in a teacup, animal rights activists warn of the health consequences of such overbreeding.

Animal Welfare Dogs Ordinance 2022: “Duty for walks” in the Dog Walks Act

However, the dog walking law was not adapted for those stories, but rather on the basis of negative examples such as neglect or mistreatment.

Therefore, only a few paragraphs of the animal protection dog ordinance remained untouched.

Above all, the introduction of the "duty to walk" caused a lot of waves among dog owners.

The new "Gassi-Gesetz" or the Animal Welfare Dog Ordinance has some changes in store for dog owners.

© Christophe Gateau/dpa

Because in the new version of paragraph 2, the length of the walk was specified again and is classified by the lawyer Daniela Müller and expert in animal rights issues in an explanatory video on the Animal Welfare Dog Ordinance:

"The adult dog is to be walked at least twice a day and a total of one hour."

Daniela Müller, lawyer specializing in animal rights issues

A supposed change that caused particularly high waves, although this is not as new as some dog owners might think due to the amended Gassi law.

The obligation to walk a dog already existed in the interpreting case law, but so far one has searched in vain for an explicit wording of the rule on the walk in paragraph two.

This fact has now been rectified.

Dog walker law: Clause two summarizes the dog walker obligation under “General requirement for keeping” in the Animal Welfare Dog Ordinance

This is the "General requirement for keeping" in paragraph two of the Animal Welfare Dog Ordinance.

This states in the Gassi-Gesetz that every dog ​​in Germany must have sufficient outdoor exercise "outside a kennel" and that dog owners must also actively deal with the animal on a daily basis.

The exact wording can be found as follows in the Animal Welfare Dog Ordinance: "According to sentence three, a dog must be allowed contact with the person who keeps, looks after or has to look after the dog (carer) several times a day for a sufficient period of time."

Animal Welfare Dog Ordinance: Gassi law stipulates regular contact with other dogs

In addition, dogs must be able to have regular contact with other dogs in the future, “unless this is not possible in individual cases for health reasons or for reasons of intolerance to protect the dog or its fellow dogs.”

Walkie rule for dog owners: This applies to dog owners due to the adapted animal welfare dog ordinance

In addition to the obligation to walk and contact with other dogs, the adapted animal welfare dog ordinance provides for other points to protect the four-legged friends.

These new regulations relate, among other things, to keeping dogs indoors - here the so-called view outside is to be granted -, dog breeding including the care of puppies and the ban on spiked collars and other painful means of education, training and education.

Changes and bans of the Animal Welfare Dog Ordinance at a glance: 

• Obligation to walk

  : An adult dog must be allowed to exercise for no less than an hour at least twice a day

• Keeping in rooms

   (rooms primarily mean barns or other areas that are not permanently inhabited): A dog must have the opportunity to look outside (so-called 

  outside view

  ).

• The

  requirements for dog breeding

  are being tightened, among other things to ensure that puppies are adequately socialized with humans and other dogs, and that they get used to environmental stimuli.

• In

  commercial dog breeding

  , a caregiver may look after a maximum of three litters at the same time.

• A

  minimum time of four hours for the daily handling of the puppies

  is given.

  This applies to both commercial and private breeders.

• Ban on using spiked collars

  or other painful devices in training, education and education.

• The

  tethering of dogs

  is strictly prohibited.

• An exhibition ban will be issued for dogs that show signs of

  torturous breeding

  .

• The ban on

  exhibitions

  is not limited to pure breeding exhibitions, but includes all events at which an assessment, test or comparison of dogs takes place, such as e.g.

  B. Breeding performance tests and dog sport events.

• The already applicable

  exhibition ban for dogs that have been amputated in violation of animal welfare

  will also be extended to other events.

The reasons for the changes to the Gassi Act, however, are obvious.

The old Animal Welfare Dog Ordinance from 2001 has faced vehement criticism in the past because it no longer suits the housing needs of dogs and no longer reflects the current state of knowledge.

Animal Welfare Dog Ordinance: Who and how is to monitor compliance with the Gassi Act and, above all, the Gassi Rule?

On the other hand, it is completely unclear how compliance with the Gassi law for the approximately ten million dogs in Germany and the Gassi rule in general is to be monitored by private dog owners.

A ministry spokeswoman said in opaque words that the state authorities were responsible for this.

It is not known whether the relevant authorities or, in case of doubt, the public order offices of the federal states already have a plan for checking the obligation to go for a walk in the drawers as part of the Gassi Act.

In any case, it is difficult to imagine the approach of officials ringing the doorbell of every dog ​​owner and asking emphatically whether the dog has already been able to let off steam for the prescribed minimum time outdoors.

On the other hand, it is much more realistic that the adapted legal situation can permanently prevent the keeping of dogs in kennels.

Dog owners are required to walk their dogs: What penalties and fines are there if paragraph 2 of the Animal Welfare Dog Ordinance is disregarded?

It is also unclear what penalties dog owners will face if they do not comply with the obligation to walk their four-legged friends.

The situation is similar with the other changes in the Gassi law.

Here, too, the federal states can create their own catalog of fines independently of the nationwide animal welfare dog ordinance and set the penalties themselves for violating the law on walking dogs.

Meanwhile, severe penalties are due for cruelty to animals - and these are very clearly regulated.

Catalog of fines for animal cruelty to dogs

• Maltreating a dog:

  Criminal offense according to § 17 TierSchG (animal protection law);

  is sanctioned with a fine or imprisonment of up to three years;

  animal is withdrawn;

  Ban on keeping animals again

• Killing a dog:

  Criminal offense according to § 17 TierSchG;

  fine or imprisonment of up to three years;

  Ban on keeping animals again

• As an owner, not feeding your dog or not caring for it adequately:

  criminal offense according to § 17 TierSchG in connection with § 13 StGB;

  fine or imprisonment of up to three years;

  animal is withdrawn;

  Ban on keeping animals again

• Attempted or negligent abuse of a dog:

  misdemeanor;

  fine procedure, fine of up to 25,000 euros;

  animal is withdrawn;

  Ban on keeping animals again

• Abandon dog:

  administrative offence;

  Fine of up to 25,000 euros

• Stealing a dog, selling it through receiving stolen goods or embezzling it:

  Different penalties from the Criminal Code;

  fine or imprisonment

• Producing or selling animal pornographic material:

  Criminal according to § StGB 184 a;

  Fine or imprisonment of up to three years

Dog ownership violations

• Breach of a leash obligation:

  Fine set by the respective municipality

• Dog droppings not removed:

  Fine set by each municipality

• Listed dog does not wear a muzzle in public areas:

  fine set by the respective municipality

• Allowing the dog to run around in public areas without a collar:

  fine imposed by the respective municipality

• General duty of supervision not complied with:

  In the event of damage, the owner is liable;

  if your dog attacks someone, you could be charged with assault or manslaughter

Gassi-Gesetz: When it comes to the implementation and control of the obligation to walk dogs, many questions remain unanswered in the Animal Welfare Dog Ordinance in 2022

The adaptation of the animal welfare dog ordinance was an urgent and above all necessary advance.

However, important questions remain unanswered.

The focus is primarily on the controllability of the obligation to go for a walk laid down in the Dog Walkers Act and what penalties dog owners face if they do not comply.

Fortunately, there are enough touching stories that provide amusement or go to the heart.

For example, a deaf man adopted a deaf dog: "I felt like I understood him," he says - and the two even do so with their own common language.

A dog grandpa found a loving home late and smiles with happiness even in his sleep - a story that invites you to smile.

Nevertheless, enough negative examples of dog ownership remain.

And as long as dog owners who continue to neglect their pets are not held accountable or face severe fines, the prevailing situation may not change much.

Nevertheless, the Gassi law is an important first step in the right direction to bring about fundamental and lasting changes.

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