Mandatory Dog Walking

[Joe Iliff]

Does this law go too far? I love the idea of every dog getting such regular exercise, and it's probably good for the owner, too (assuming they do the walking). But, does this delve too deeply into legislating good behavior. Would the council consider mandating 5 servings of veggie per day? That's good for you, too.

Thoughts?

Turin law: Walk your dog 3 times a day -- or be fined
Monday, April 25, 2005 Posted: 4:35 AM EDT (0835 GMT)

ROME, Italy (Reuters) -- Dog owners in Turin will be fined up to $650 if they don't walk their pets at least three times a day, under a new law from the city's council.

[Suburb Repairman]

Anytime I see a law like this, I find myself asking "Doesn't the City have something better to worry about?"

This is also where my libertarian side rears its head a little and says "it's none of your business."

I would love to see them police this as well. [sarcasm] Because that's what I want my police worrying about: dog walking -- not the little things like child molesters, theft of property, domestic violence... I want them worrying about whether Fido has a trim waistline. [/sarcasm]

[Michele Zone]

Anytime I see a law like this, I find myself asking "Doesn't the City have something better to worry about?"

This is also where my libertarian side rears its head a little and says "it's none of your business."

I would love to see them police this as well. [sarcasm] Because that's what I want my police worrying about: dog walking -- not the little things like child molesters, theft of property, domestic violence... I want them worrying about whether Fido has a trim waistline. [/sarcasm]

Historical note: The Humane Society was founded before any kind of child protective anything at all was established in America. In fact, later child protective stuff was modeled on The Humane Society's guidelines for how to treat pets.

[Duke Of Dystopia]

I would love to see them police this as well. [sarcasm] Because that's what I want my police worrying about: dog walking -- not the little things like child molesters, theft of property, domestic violence... I want them worrying about whether Fido has a trim waistline. [/sarcasm]

Yeah, that would be funny to see how they could effectivly implement this. Though I think the old East German nation under the Stazi could have pulled it off. Unoficial estimates that as high as 1 of 4 people were informants on thier nieghbors.

[Ass. Planner]

While I would advocate for walking your dog - or having your dog walked - I think that requiring it three times a day is ridiculous! I don't know of anyone that would consider it animal abuse or neglect if poor "Shotzy" only got walked once a day. I personally hate walking, even with my dog - so I would have to pay someone to do it - especially if I had to meet the three times a day thing.

BTW - what comprises "3-times". Does the walk have to take up a certain amount of time in order for it to count? Or can I walk my dog around the house once or twice? Furthermore, if a neighbor complained that I wasn't obeying the law, would I have to videotape myself (with a date stamp) as proof? Very interesting. I wouldn't want to be the code-enforcement officer in that city.

[Trail Nazi]

Maybe if we had something like that law here we would not have such obese people??? Hmmmm.....Don't they have anything better to do?

[Suburb Repairman]

Historical note: The Humane Society was founded before any kind of child protective anything at all was established in America. In fact, later child protective stuff was modeled on The Humane Society's guidelines for how to treat pets.

I've heard this before somewhere. I guess this country as a long history of doing things bass-ackwards.

[jordanb]

Hrmm. Mandatory walking... Maybe this is a public health initiative in disguise.

[donk]

Maybe if we had something like that law here we would not have such obese people??? Hmmmm.....Don't they have anything better to do?

Like walking their dogs?

[BKM]

Maybe if we had something like that law here we would not have such obese people??? Hmmmm.....Don't they have anything better to do?

I am an obsessive dog walker (and, seasonally, cyclist). I am still....FAT.

[H]

Too much in the personal business for this American.

but I must say that 3 would be a down grade from my dogs current 4-5 times a day and the 2-3 time a week dog park visit where he really gets his steam out.

[BKM]

For my guys, it depends on the day of the week. Weekends, I'll often take them on multi-hour hikes or city walks. Sadly, my old guy is 11 years old, so I wonder how much longer. Still, he seems ready to go and not too decrepit by any means. Now that the days are longer, I can take them on nice hour long hikes after work. There is a pretty nice open space park five minutes from home. We hiked for a good hour and a half today With all the rain, the wildflowers and grasses are spectacular. Entire hillsides covered in purple sage. Max has to stay on the leash, as he tends to go selectively deaf and explore a bit too much out of sight (and there are plenty of deer and jackrabbits-and grazing cows in the hills), and I don't feel like screaming my lungs out until he comes trotting up the path with a **** eating grin on his face. The basenji and collie can roam around a bit more, but they stay very close. Nothing is funnier than a basenji HOPPING through the grass.

[Downtown]

I'll admit - once we got the house, with the fenced in yard, we got lazy. In the good weather, when Jack was little, and awake at 5am, someone would get up and take the baby and a dog for a long walk around the neighborhood, alternating dogs each morning, while the other would sleep. Then Jack started sleeping longer, and the weather got colder. sigh.

excuses, excuses.

[Zoning Goddess]

I'll admit - once we got the house, with the fenced in yard, we got lazy. .

This is also how my dog is 'walked'. I just open the back door and let her run around in the fenced yard.

Seems to me it would be a better idea to require parents to feed their kids 3 times a day. Our school system started giving free breakfasts this year; any student is eligible; simply because so many kids came to school hungry, since they had no breakfast food at home.