| rican puppies and dogs, as well as their owners, need | | | | other with one of them labeled evil. This, along with |
| to be aware what is happening on the other side of | | | | the vote NO to the referendum, is a pretty clear |
| the pond in Austria. Houdini Clarke, American Maltese, | | | | indication where they stand on the situation. |
| has traveled to Austria several times and keeps up | | | | Well, in February, the dust settled on the |
| on the latest dog or,"hundefuehrschein" news. | | | | "hundefuehrschein in Stadt Wien"
beginning July 1, |
| Now for all you non German speaking dogs out | | | | 2010 the "evil dogs" and anyone who will be walking |
| there, hundefuehrschein is a new fangled German | | | | the dog over 16 years of age will have to complete |
| word meaning a "dog walking license". It seems that | | | | a 30 page, yes, I said 30 PAGE test. This multiple |
| the Austrians
more than 80 percent of them in | | | | choice exam will include everything from tail wagging |
| Stadt Wien "Vienna" alone, feel that tougher laws | | | | to barking at strangers and will cost 25 Euros. |
| should be enacted to keep certain breeds along with | | | | There are many other provisions in this new |
| their dog walking owners under the watchful eyes of | | | | legislation i.e. the dog must be at least six months old, |
| the government. The breeds that are being put on | | | | the dog and owner may take the test up to 3 times, |
| the watch list are the pit bull, American Staffordshire | | | | there will be a transitional period for those who |
| terrier, Mastiff and the Rottweiler and, of course, all | | | | currently own a dog on the "hit list" and so on
|
| of the mixed breed / cross bred cousins. | | | | the real kicker here is that if you are not |
| We have all heard about the awful stories of children | | | | hundefuehrschein compliant, the fines are |
| and older people being mauled or killed by vicious | | | | tremendous, from a small administration fine of 100 |
| dogs. It seems that those particular breeds on the | | | | euros up to the big kahuna fine of 14,000 euros
|
| Stadt Wien "hit list" and their mixed breed cousins | | | | YIKES! |
| turn out to be the most common felons in these | | | | You can take a look at the hundefuehrschein test |
| scenarios. On the other hand, most dog lovers | | | | and see what you think
could you and your |
| understand that it is usually the dog owner and not | | | | bowser pass? |
| the dog that is to blame in these situations. How the | | | | Fortunately for Houdini Clarke, who, while he has the |
| dog was trained to behave in certain situations or | | | | heart of a Rottweiler, the Maltese breed has not |
| whether he was trained at all. | | | | made the Stadt Wien hundefuehrschein 'hit list". So, |
| Even the Austrian Dog magazine Wuff has gotten | | | | Houdini will be allowed to roam the streets of Vienna |
| involved in the action by posting flyers all over Stadt | | | | freely reading and sending p-mails to all his Viennese |
| Wien showing two cute puppies sitting next to each | | | | puppy pals. |