Un-spayed bitches are prone to mammary cancer in quite alarming numbers. It is important to spay bitches early unless they are going to breed.
Spaying before the first oestrus reduces the chance of mammary cancer by 97% and around 35% of unspayed bitches contract cancer.

Additionally, castrating dogs is a good way of reducing male-to-male dog-to-dog aggression, so is useful if you have a potentially aggressive breed. I knew two Akitas from the same litter, with the same attitude. One was castrated at 4 months and grew up to be just a dog. The other was finally castrated at 13 months, but by then was a vicious bastard. He eventually tore the scalp off a little Japanese girl (6 years old) and was destroyed. My Great Dane, Rolf, was the only dog he didn't attack (because that would have been stupid).

Having said all that, I am not a believer in automatic castration. With large breeds, early castration often results in an animal with an insufficient breadth of chest for orthopedic health. The narrow chests which result are inadequate to support the weight that so many neutered animals, male or female, put on. If you have a giant breed it is best to castrate only after 2 years, when the animal is fully developed.

My second Great Dane, Bailey, was castrated as a puppy (we adopted him at 7 months and he was already done). This, combined with the appalling treatment he received from his first owners, made his front legs bow out to the point where our vet asked to to consider seriously having him put down. Fortunately good diet and plently of exercise straightened him out, but he had hormone pills and calcium added to his food until he was 18 months old simply to help him grow properly into his final frame.

You can see that his forelegs are slightly bent even in this picture, taken the day we got him home from the vet.



He was blue-eyed, which is genetically linked to deafness in Danes, which was why his previous owners thought he was a bad dog.

Do you have any idea how many unwanted animals are born each year? Millions. And these poor dogs and cats are left to starve on the streets - or worse - simply because there are not enough homes available for all the dogs and cats born.

Do me a favor. Go to any shelter, and watch the beautiful, healthy, good natured dogs being put to sleep. Killed, simply because there is no other option. Simply because there are too many.

Have you ever seen a dog come down with pyometra, screaming in pain? It can kill in a matter of hours. Have you ever seen a dog suffering from mammary cancer? Testicular cancer, enlarged prostate? I have, all too often. Some we've been able to save, but sadly for many we are too late ...

Neutering is part of being a responsible owner.

The scandal is that dogs die perfectly preventable deaths, all because an irresponsible owner didn't want to neuter the poor dog.

My point is simply, if you want your home animal to bring you as much as possible, leave him as nature meant it to be.

you don't have a pet now do you?

Uh oh...

http://tagesschau.sf.tv/nachrichten/...erbot_lanciert

Does anyone have any more information? Is this more scare tactics, or is this legislation really imminent?

How will the division into 'less dangerous', 'possibly dangerous', and 'dangerous' be determined? By breed? By size? Who makes the determination?

Which Wesenstest (agression/character test) will be used for those dogs categorized as dangerous?

Has anyone seen the actual text of this new Gesetzesentwerf (draft/proposal of new legislation)?

Any further information would be greatly appreciated.

it's all about BSL. But it's quoting NZZ.

I'm due at the vet with one of my child-eating killer dogs this week. I'll ask.

Hi everyone

Is there any further information available on the proposed Federal Dog Control Legislation? My other half posted recently about bringing our dogs, and in particular our rescue doberman to Switzerland and the more i read, the more worried i get. Like all rescue dogs, she needs time, patience and training, but it will take time. Which dogs are included in the legislation and should i be panicking?

Thanks

Hi there

I have been posing the same questions and MelonCollie has been quite helpful so maybe send her a private message. I would also suggest you contact the Federal Vet - www.bvet.admin.ch and also contact the vet cantonal office and they will be able to tell you their regulations.

It is so frustrating as I know I would not move without my pooches but I would definitely cover all your bases before bringing him / her over.

Hope that helps.

Tanya

Gilly and Tanya (and all who love dogs )

A statement released by the Nationalrat (parliament) can be found here:

http://www.parlament.ch/mm-medienmit...7-04-20_999_01

While the proposal says there will not be a forbidden breed list, it seems that in effect they are instituting one in a round about way - the press release goes on to say that all dogs in Switzerland would be divided into three categories, 'dangerous', 'potentially dangerous' and 'harmless'. The criterion for this division would be breed characteristics (??), size, and weight, among other things. In any case, pitbulls and 'pitbull types' (what does that mean - any bull breed or cross?) would be forbidden... German Shepherds and Rotweillers would be assessed by the Veterinarian.

Bear in mind that this is the proposal of a commission within the WBK, it has not yet been voted into law. I would expect that once the proposal is finalized it would have to be published in more detail before coming to a vote. It looks like there will be a three month commentary/consultation period before further action is taken.

I believe that this will eventually come to public vote - can anyone confirm or correct this?

(And honestly, I don't know if public or parliamentary vote would be better - If surveys bandied about in the media are to be believed, most Swiss are in favor of any law that addresses the perceived problem. Although I would suspect that very few understand what verboten (banned) really means - that pets could be ordered euthanized. )

I will speak to my vet next week, and report back on his thoughts. I would urge every dog owner here to get in touch with your own vet and voice your concerns.

In the week since the news broke, I have certainly seen a change in dog owners in my area. In Kt SZ dogs must be on lead in public, a regulation most people didn't know even existed, and which certainly had not been followed by many owners (of well behaved under-control dogs) when hiking the Wanderwege. Everyone knows the rules now - every single dog was on lead today. Sadly, there were also new signs posted banning dogs completely from the woods and parcours - the nicest walk in the area.

FYI, discussions on this topic are currently running on the Mein Hund forum:

http://www.mein-hund.ch/forum/thread...tuser=0&page=1

and on the SKG website:

http://www.hundeweb.org/hundewebd/index.html

(click on 'Forum der Hundefreunde', 'Forum ansehen', 'Allgemeines, Unterhaltung' then on the thread titied 'Die spinnen')

The SKG as published a statement against the proposal, and calling for their HHB as a more practical solution:

----
"Medienmitteilung der SKG

Zitat:
Weit über’s Ziel hinaus geschossen

Die Kommission WBK hat heute ihren Entwurf zum Thema „gefährliche Hunde“ vorgestellt. Die SKG lehnt diese realitätsfremden Massnahmen ab. Die Kommission für Wissenschaft, Bildung und Kultur (WBK) des Nationalrates hat heute ihren Entwurf zu einem Bundesbeschluss für die Änderung des Tierschutzgesetzes vorgestellt. Die Vorschläge sind in wesentlichen Punkten unrealistisch. Eine Aufteilung der Hunde in „wenig gefährliche Hunde“, „möglicherweise gefährliche Hunde“ oder „gefährliche Hunde“ schon im Welpenalter ist nicht möglich. Die für den künftigen Charakter des Hundes wichtige Sozialisierungsphase dauert bis ca. 16 Wochen und wäre nicht berücksichtigt. Die SKG lehnt weiterhin jede Kategorisierung nach Rassetypen ab, zumal fast jede Gebrauchshunderasse als „möglicherweise gefährlich“ gelten würde. Auch sind die zahlreichen Importhunde so nicht zu erfassen. Die Leinenpflicht in Städten, auf Spielplätzen ist für die SKG selbstverständlich, doch lehnt sie eine weitergehende Leinenpflicht im gesamten überbauten Raum ab. Wir bedauern, dass unsere Forderungen nach rasch realisierbaren Massnahmen wie: - Wurfkontrollen aller gefallenen Würfe - die Regelung von Verkäufen von Hunden nur mit Kaufverträgen - die verschärften Importkontrollen - die Haltebewilligungen rasch und und effizient umgesetzt werden soll - die Ausbildung von Hundehalterinnen und Halter - die Kompetenz der Behörden nach Zwangsmassnahmen für "potentiell gefährliche Hunde" und auffällig gewordene Halterinnen und Halter und speziell auch Züchterinnen und Züchtern keiner Weise berücksichtigt wurden. Die SKG ist enttäuscht über diese träge Lösung der WBK, die bis zur Realisierung Jahre dauern kann und fordert eine rasche Umsetzung von
praktikablen Massnahmen. Ein Hundehalterbrevet, wie es die SKG seit Anfang dieses Jahres anbietet, wäre ein Ansatz. Eine Halterbewilligung für Halter, deren Hund durch aggressives Verhalten eine Gefährdung von Mensch und Tier darstellen, erachten wir zudem als gute und praktikable Lösung. Peter Rub, Präsident SKG, Verena Amman, Pressesprecherin der SKG, 20. April 2007"

----

The Hovawart group has published a very good statement:

http://www.hovawartgebrauchshunde.ch/WBKEntwurf.htm

and has a very good compilation of political/legal issues:

http://www.hovawartgebrauchshunde.ch...itik%20007.htm

Good for them!

---

If any of you know of other people or groups spearheading efforts to counteract this, please post their details here.

My personal take on this, as the owner of a youngster currently in training and elderly, placid, handicapped collies who are not up to much more than sleeping and the occasional potter around the garden - but who happen to be over 40 cm tall... If a law passes defining my best friends as potentially dangerous, my dogs and I will be on the first plane out of Switzerland. I've most probably hit the panic button prematurely - but then, my dogs mean everything to me.

But that's only my personal opinion... not meant to be read as anything other than that. I would encourage each of you dog owners to do your own research, ask questions, talk to your vets, to other dog owners, to get involved in a Hundverein - and form your own conclusions. And, those of you who are eligible to vote, please do so if it comes to that...

More info from Today's NZZ:

http://www.nzz.ch/2007/04/20/il/newzzF0QKTBZV-12.html

The article covers the main points in the WBK press release, with links to background articles, plus includes the following:


"Negative Reaktionen von Tierfreunden

«Ich bin enttäuscht», sagte Peter Rub, Präsident der Schweizerischen Kynologischen Gesellschaft (SKG). Zwar würde die SKG grundsätzlich eine nationale Lösung begrüssen. Dass bei der Kategorisierung der Hunde bereits jetzt einzelne Rassen genannt würden, sei der falsche Weg. Einen zu strengen Leinenzwang lehne die SKG ab. «Ein Hund braucht Freiheiten», sagte Rub.

Auch die Stiftung für das Tier im Recht spricht von einer verunglückten Vorlage. Die vorgeschlagenen Massnahmen gingen weitgehend auf Kosten aller 500'000 in der Schweiz lebenden Hunde. Beim Schweizer Tierschutz gibt man zu bedenken, dass mit einem solchen Gesetz zahlreiche Hunde in ein Tierheim abgeschoben würden."

---



The full statement from Tier Im Recht can be found here:

http://www.tierimrecht.org/de/news/2...et_klar_ab.php

Hi

Thank you very much for this information. Well, we have to come to Switzerland in September as my husband's company are relocating us but, aghhh, this Dog Control issue is very scary and completely crazy. This type of legislation doesn't work! All that happens is that it unfairly discriminates against responsible dog owners and never touches the type of people who actively encourage their dogs to be vicious simply because they generally tend to be 'outside' the law and use pitbull type dogs to reinforce their tough, hardcase type self-image by training them to be as anti-social as possible. Look at the situation in the UK - a little girl was killed on New Years Day this year by her uncle's dog - the law worked really well for her! Oh well, i'm preaching to the converted here - let us all hope that the powers that be see sense. If it wasn't so alarming, it would be funny to think that my other dog, a 12 year old dobie cross, would also be classified as potentially dangerous, as she's the sweetest, most patient creature i've ever come across.

Anyway, thank you to everyone who is trying to help us newbies and newcomers to Switzerland to understand what is going on.

Gilly

More details, prompting more questions:

http://www.nzz.ch/2007/04/15/il/articleF3MQ3.html

The categorization of dogs into 'dangerous', 'possibly dangerous' or 'harmless' will in principle be done by a veterinarian when the dog is implanted with a microchip.

The import, breeding, or ownership of those dogs categorized as dangerous, and of pitbulls and 'pitbull types' will be forbidden.

(Let's play semantics here - if the ownership of a dog is forbidden, what then happens- does that mean that these dogs will ordered euthanized? Or, will there be some way to appeal to the categorization?)

Owners of dogs judged 'possibly dangerous' will require a permit; owners will be tested on their knowledge of correct dog ownership, and on their ability to keep the dog under control. (I'm guessing the Wesenstest?)

Should a dog in the 'possibly dangerous' or 'harmless' category bite, it will have to undergo a test. If a 'possibly dangerous' dog does not pass the test, it will either be classified as 'dangerous', or be seized, or order killed.

All dogs, regardless of category will be required to be on lead in public.

The federal govt. will have the power to make attendance in a Hundeschule or socialization course mandatory.

According to the article, the measures are supported by most parliamentarians, as a workable compromise. Commission president Kathy Riklin believes the proposal will glide through.

Of the four political parties, only the SVP stands in opposition, and sees this as an outright attack on all dog owners:

"SVP- Kommissionsmitglied Pfister räumt zwar Handlungsbedarf ein, sagt aber, die Vorlage gehe zu weit: «Das ist kein Kompromiss, das ist ein Generalangriff auf die Hundehalter», sagt Pfister. Er und die SVP seien fest entschlossen, das Vorhaben in einer Volksabstimmung zu bekämpfen. Dabei rechnet sich Pfister angesichts des notwendigen Ständemehrs gute Chancen aus."



And finally, a sensible editorial from the NZZ:

http://www.nzz.ch/2007/04/21/il/kommentarF4AQP.html

I was with my vet yesterday and asked him about legislation - as I have two dogs that are very much on the shitlist, I like to keep abreast of this.

He would rate my two Amstaffs as harmless, I'm sure. He thinks they're a very good example of their breed (and naturally are properly owned and disciplined).

I'd go to a school with them, no problem. They're always on the leash in public and behave well around other dogs.

I would fight them to the highest court in the land if they put in a "type" BSL; they're not killing my two dogs because a couple of ****s treated their dogs wrongly and it resulted in bad things.

What next? Ban non-white people? All foreigners?

FYI,

HundeOnline has published information on the stance taken by various parties and politicians, plus the reacction of the German Shepherd Club:

http://www.hunde-online.ch/

(click on 'Politik')

and published a flyer for distribution:

http://www.hunde-online.ch/pdf_2006/Flyer.pdf

I would suggest all dog owners keep checking back on the 'Politik' page for updates...

FYI:

Hunde Online is now coordinating a effort to collect signatures against the WBK proposal; please take a look at their latest on the politics page:

http://www.hunde-online.ch

Click on 'Politik" then on the the link highlighted under 'Solidarität'

The text of the petition: (found under 'Unterschriftenbögen')

"Dieses Gesetz wollen wir nicht!
Die Unterzeichnenden erklären mit Ihrer Unterschrift:
Wir weisen diesen Gesetzesvorschlag ab und beantragen eine neue, tiergerechte Fassung.
- Wir erwarten eine bundesweite einheitliche Gesetzgebung, die tiergerecht ist und keine
Hunderassen oder Hundetypen - weder nach Gewicht noch nach Grösse -diskriminiert.
- Wir erklären uns mit der Meldepflicht von Fachpersonen über Bissverletzungen und auffälligen
Hunden einverstanden. Diese Massnahme genügt für die Sicherheit der Bevölkerung und wird
bereits heute von den Behörden verantwortungsvoll umgesetzt.
Unterschriftsberechtigt sind in der Schweiz wohnhafte Personen.
Die gesammelten Unterschriften werden als Meinungsäusserung von Privatpersonen im Rahmen
der Vernehmlassung über die Vorlage der Gesetzgebung «Schutz der Menschen vor Tieren»
eingereicht. "
Initiative für die Unterschriftensammlung und deren Einreichung an die Behörden:
hunde-online, Verlag est media"



Remember - all dogs and owners in Switzerland will be affected by this legislation!

During the three month consultation period we have a chance to be heard - please, talk to your vets, local officials, your friends, neighbors, everyone you can.

Heya

Any chance that someone can please give me the gistof all that in English as my German is no where near that good and I have no one to translate for me here at the moment.

Enjoy
kt

Sorry to annoy all the dog lovers on here - but this legislation finally brings Switzerland up to the level the UK has been at for some 15 or 20 years and is long overdue. As a mountain biker I have been very frequently chased and twice bitten by insufficiently controlled dogs. My 90 year old father-in-law has had a neighbours uncontrolled dog jumping at him in the street. A hairdressing friend nearly had her career ruined by a Rottweiler in the "control" of 2 children.

As in the UK, Pilbulls should - as proposed - be prevented from breeding or being imported. Ever. As to the rest - I really cannot see what responsible dog owners are concerned about. However in my experience there are far too many irresponsible dog owners around here and if this finally forces a few of them to mend their ways I', all for it.

baboon - why did the dog chase you? Because the owner was to blame.

How many "pitbulls" have eaten your children? None.

You would not even know a pitbull if you saw one. And you'd likely identify a dog that isn't a pitbull as one.

Para 1 - Exactly my point. Thanks for re-inforcing

para 2 - How many children have been "eaten" by Pit Bulls? 3 European countries and 11 North American cities have already banned or severly restricted them. Why do my children have to be "eaten" by Pit Bulls before I am allowed to recognise the risk

para 3 - try this (assuming images post directly here). Although agreed that identifying what actually is an American Pit Bull has been a difficult issue for legislators (hence the usual reference to Pit Bull-like dogs in legislation):


Again - I see nothing here that should worry a RESPONSIBLE dog owner. If this finally helps teach irresponsible dog owners responsibility - great.

Hi there

Trust me, there's plenty to worry a responsible dog owner!

Firstly, in no way has the Dangerous Dog legislation in the UK worked - kids are still being attacked, usually by dogs who are owned by the sort of people who don't care about breaking the law and in fact probably actively seek to do so and actively seek to make their dogs aggressive!

Secondly, any kind animal loving person should definitely be concerned about elements of this Wesenstest. Now i don't speak German so I've had to get rough translations, but the thought that my nervous but gentle rescue dog or my old lady would have to be tested to see if they react to someone running up to them with a stick or yelling aggressively at them is completely unacceptable and cruel - in fact i have no intention of letting this happen - it could lay months of training to waste.

Finally, a note on mountain bikers - obviously i'm sure you are responsible, but a lot of bikers aren't and as the mum of a 2 year old toddler and a dog owner i am absolutely sick of having to make emergency scrambles into the undergrowth on the side of a path as 4 or 5 mountain bikers race down narrow paths at high speed without any care for who or what lies in their way. Believe me, I feel it far more likely that my family could be badly injured by errant cyclists than wandering Pit Bulls!

Gilly