Only the police can demand that dogs be relocated or killed. Neither healthcare personnel nor veterinarians have any obligation to report, even in the case of serious attacks. Eight people have been killed by dogs in Norway in the last 20 years. Three of them have been children. Yesterday there were final proceedings in the case against the woman who is accused of negligently causing the death of another. A boy aged one year and eight months was killed when his grandmother’s rottweiler attacked the boy. In the court case, it has emerged that the Rottweiler is said to have bitten children several times, without any consequences for the dog. Before it’s too late It is up to the person who is exposed to an unfortunate episode with a dog, or the dog owner himself, to proceed with the case. Health personnel at a GP, emergency room or in a hospital are not obliged to report to the police if they treat a dog bite – not even in the case of serious attacks. This may mean that dogs that are about to develop aggression are not caught. KILLED IN 2021: A boy aged one year and eight months was bitten to death when his grandmother’s rottweiler attacked. Photo: POLITIET / Politiet It is also not the vet’s task to assess whether a dog can be dangerous. And the occupational group has no obligation to report to the police. – Some vets may have special expertise in behaviour, but it is not something regulated by the Animal Health Personnel Act or the vet’s duties, says Marit Nesje, associate professor at the Veterinary College. Nesje believes that it is future case law that will provide the answer to whether the new law changes the threshold for killing dogs. Nesje clarifies that sometimes pain or an underlying illness can explain why a dog has bitten. – It can be important to have a thorough health examination of a dog whose behavior has changed in one way or another. But it is the dog’s health that is the basis for whether a vet will assess whether it is safe to let it live or whether it should be let go. Enormous responsibility Most dog owners are aware of the responsibility that comes with owning a dog. Anne Buvik, communications adviser at the Norwegian Kennel Club (NKK), thinks so. – If a dog bites someone seriously or if it is assumed that serious accidents may occur, the owner will in most cases take responsibility himself, and insure or euthanize the dog. She believes the owner assumes an extremely large responsibility if a dog has injured someone and you choose to keep it. – It is difficult to defend that a dog should continue to live if it has seriously injured people repeatedly. A LOT OF LOVE, LITTLE KNOWLEDGE: Buvik believes that the unfortunate “humanization” of dogs is a current trend. – The vast majority of dogs give a warning before they bite, but many lack the knowledge of the dog’s behavior to predict this, says the communications advisor. Photo: PRESSEFOTO / NKK Buvik believes that people 20 years ago had a more realistic attitude towards this. She sees that for many it becomes too difficult. – They cannot bear the psychological strain. Instead, they leave the responsibility to others, perhaps without telling the whole story. They say the dog should go to a home without children, to someone who has time or experienced owners. Underneath this may lie unwanted episodes. INCREASED RESPONSIBILITY: In May this year, the Storting adopted a new dog law that comes into force at New Year’s. Dog owners now have a far greater responsibility than before. Photo: Anne Buvik / NKK New Dog Act from New Year The new Dog Act requires dog owners to have the necessary skills to handle the dog – both in their daily life and in the activities they participate in. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food informs news in an e-mail that the main purpose of the change in the law is to strengthen the preventive measures, so that unwanted incidents do not occur. New instruments are also being introduced to help ensure that the law is followed. The police must be able to intervene in dog keeping at an earlier stage with less intrusive measures. For example, infringement fees as a reaction to rule violations and compulsory fines as a means of pressure to get dog owners to carry out orders under the Dogs Act. New Dog Act § 3 on competence requirements § 3 a Competence The dog owner must have the necessary competence to be able to prevent unfortunate situations or injuries from occurring. Such competence includes, among other things, knowledge of keeping and training a dog and knowledge of the dog’s needs, natural behaviour, area of use and the damage potential the dog can pose. The King may issue further regulations on requirements for training and competence as mentioned in the first paragraph. – It is a comprehensive new law. Dog cases can have a criminal side – that is, a police case where it is assessed whether the dog owner has done something criminal. But it is the police’s administration department that can decide whether a dog should be relocated or euthanized if a dog has behaved aggressively. – A dog that has bitten or attacked is basically enough to make a decision to euthanize, says Tammy Nyborg, section leader at the licensing department in the Innlandet police district. Nyborg says that the administrative department in Innlandet has had 76 dog cases in 2021 and 2022. In these cases, 25 warnings have been given. There have been 9 decisions to euthanize. If the dog’s aggressive behavior is considered to be of low severity, then the result may be a warning to the dog owner. With the new law, the police will still have the opportunity to use experts to inform the case before the police make a decision on euthanasia. In addition, there is a provision stating that it is relevant to assess whether the dog’s health may have contributed to the incident. New Dog Act § 18 on killing or rehoming a dog § 18 Killing or rehoming a dog after an attack or injury to a human when it is necessary to avert future risk The police can decide to kill a dog that has attacked or injured a human, if this does not appear to be a disproportionate measure. During the assessment, particular emphasis must be placed on: a. what danger has been present, including whether a child has been attacked b. extent and type of damage caused, including whether children have been damaged, but the financial loss after inflicted damage shall not be given weight c. whether the person who has been attacked or injured has fully or partially provoked an attack d. the risk the dog and the dog keeping can be assumed to entail in the future e. the dog’s utility value, but the dog’s economic value value shall not be weighted f. whether special circumstances of the dog’s health have contributed to the dog exhibiting unwanted behavior g. whether there are other measures that can prevent future risk Assessment according to the first paragraph letter f must be carried out by an authorized veterinarian. If it is considered practically possible and justifiable, the police shall seek to relocate a dog rather than kill it. A dog that has caused significant human damage should normally be euthanized. When killing the dog, the dog keeper can be offered one visit with the dog before killing if this can be done without preventing the implementation of the decision or posing a safety risk. Costs related to the dog keeper’s presence are covered by the dog keeper, cf. § 26. Nature of the dog The new Dogs Act emphasizes that dogs must be treated and taken care of so that their nature is taken into account. Animal Protection Norway clarifies that it is important that dogs that have done nothing wrong are not euthanized either. – We know that behavioral problems are the most common reason why young dogs are euthanized. Therefore, systematic preventive measures should be initiated to prevent the dogs from developing what we humans consider to be problem behaviour, says Åshild Roaldset, general manager of Animal Protection Norway. Roaldset thought it should be a matter of course to put in place a zero vision for dog bites and dog kills. She believes that it must be ensured that dog owners have sufficient competence, and points out that children also need training in the dog’s language. – Puppy courses, courses for dog owners and systematic use of fur in dog breeding would help to reduce this animal welfare problem. Many of the dogs that come to Animal Protection Norway have developed major behavioral problems as a result of neglect and mistreatment. Animal Protection Norway tries, but is unable to help everyone. INCREASED RESPONSIBILITY: In May this year, the Storting adopted a new dog law that comes into force at New Year’s. Dog owners now have a far greater responsibility than before. Photo: Anne Buvik / NKK
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Dog owners get an increased responsibility for safety in dog ownership with the new dog act – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
