Should Taking A Pet Care Course Be Mandatory Before Getting A Dog?

Spain is group to instrumentality a awesome alteration successful pet ownership regulations: a mandatory four-hour online course for anyone looking to adopt aliases bargain a dog. This caller requirement, portion of a draught royal decree nether nan broader 2023 Animal Rights and Welfare Law, intends to guarantee that early pet owners are afloat informed and prepared earlier bringing an animal into their home. The course, which is free and ends pinch a short test, will assistance a lifelong certificate to those who pass, and intends to trim abandonment rates and amended animal use crossed nan country.

We asked our readers whether they work together that specified a people should beryllium mandatory earlier welcoming a canine into your home.

Many were successful favour of nan idea, peculiarly for first-time canine owners. As Lesley Marlor said, “Yes, successful immoderate cases. Especially if you person ne'er had a pet.” Karen Swanwick echoed this: “Definitely for a first-time dog.” Harri Son responded simply, “Yes!” while Lyn Rowe stated, “Definitely. I work together that they should.”

Some respondents pointed to concerns astir irresponsible ownership. David Cooke commented, “Nowadays, definitely! Train nan fools to train their dogs.” Judith Dominique Wolfenegg besides stressed nan value of amended awareness: “Yes. Obviously, galore are excessively lazy, sloppy aliases stupid to look decently aft a dog… For immoderate group dogs aliases pets successful wide are for illustration toys aliases accessories, not surviving beings pinch a psyche and different personalities and needs.”

However, not each commenters supported nan idea. Catherine Keen raised concerns: “It’s difficult capable to get pets adopted. At nan shelter we unpaid at, we do a location sojourn first, past pre-adoption. If each is well, you tin adopt. Please don’t make it much difficult…”

Steve Kenton suggested acquisition is nan amended teacher: “No, however, each canine owners should beryllium licensed and registered… Learn from different canine owners because a one-size fits each attack doesn’t activity but ever beryllium mindful that immoderate proposal could beryllium outdated aliases wrong.”

Finally, John Nelson offered a much affectional reflection connected what owning a canine really means: “Love, trust, loyalty, and looking astatine them arsenic family not thing owned.”

Overall, responses were split, but somewhat much readers leaned successful favour of requiring a pet attraction course, particularly for those without anterior experience. While opinions varied, nan speech shows a shared knowing that dogs merit thoughtful, informed attraction – whether that comes done instruction aliases hands-on experience.

See past week’s EWN poll