One of the largest dog schools in the country has been forced to hire a lawyer to interpret the content correctly. Several people are advocating that the content of the Dog Act must become more concrete if it is to be possible to follow the new rules. See fact box about the new law at the bottom of the article. I think a certificate of competence can solve a lot Dog owner Anita Folvik is early for the course at the dog school Lydig in Tønsberg. NEW DOG, NEW COURSE: – I had so much left for the previous course. It’s great to go for a walk with a dog that listens to you and is obedient, says dog owner Anita Folvik. Photo: Randi Nørstebø / news “Vilma” is whimsical around her. The five-month-old Beauceron puppy sniffs a little nervously on the artificial grass in the hall. Both dog and owner are excited about how the evening will turn out. A total of ten quail couples are expected this evening. The two-legged people in the hall agree that the new dog law can be demanding to interpret. VALUABLE REQUIREMENTS: Kim Nordbotten in Lydig Hundeskule calls for clearer competence requirements in the Dog Act. Photo: Randi Nørstebø / news – It is terribly vague what is actually required of people. Nordbotten believes the solution is an arrangement where certified course holders hand out certificates of competence to the dog owners. – Don’t know what they go to Dog owner Anita Folvik agrees. – I don’t think everyone knows what they are doing. She believes that dog owners must consider that the dog can potentially be dangerous. – The puppy bites, jumps and claws, and wants to be big. I have to get control of her. It would have been absolutely terrible if she were to hurt someone. Should there be a compulsory course with a certificate of competence for those who are responsible for dogs? Yes, many people do not know what they are getting into when they get a dog. No, it is not necessary. Show result. Waiting for a decision. Several actors news has spoken to are calling for a clearer law. Not least those who must enforce the law. news has spoken to several sources in the police who expect that there will be a directive from the Norwegian Police Directorate (POD) about how they will take care of the competence requirement. But POD is also waiting for more information. – The Directorate of Police is waiting for a director from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. We will then keep the police districts informed about new legislation, says Heidi Keseler Venner, who is a senior adviser in the Norwegian Police Directorate. While the police wait, the promise must be enforced. In the first twenty-four days of January, 44 criminal cases were instituted for violations of the Dog Act, according to POD. Think the law is clear enough Those behind the new law, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food (LMD), think the law is clear enough. For the time being, they have no plans to regulate the competence requirement more closely in their own regulations. In an e-mail to news, the ministry states that they are working with a law enforcement officer for the Dog Act, but that this work will take time. Furthermore, they state that dog keepers must have the necessary skills, but that what is necessary may vary depending on the type of dog keeping involved. The requirement includes both competence about the needs of the dog and its natural behaviour. But how should dog owners interpret this on their own? Photo: Marius Christensen / news The requirement includes both expertise in the needs of the dog and its natural behaviour. The idea is that the knowledge should be able to be used to prevent the risk that dog keeping can cause for the environment. – Furthermore, the competence requirement includes that dog owners are familiar with how owning dogs affects other parts of society. Both when it comes to the effect dog ownership can have on other people, grazing animals and wild game, write LMD. news has wanted to meet the Ministry of Agriculture and Food for an interview, but this has not been possible. They justify this with high travel activity and a full calendar. Hiring a lawyer Oslo hundeskule is one of the oldest and largest dog schools in Norway. More than 100 instructors have 8–9,000 participants on courses every year. The company has hired lawyer Trond Werner Lunde to, if possible, interpret the changes in the Dog Act for them. He also thinks the law is too vague. – The necessary competence can vary greatly. Without the law in any way providing an answer to what is in the competence requirement, says Lunde. Can have serious consequences. The lawyer believes that the requirement depends on what kind of dog you have and what the dog will be used for. – The way the law is now formulated, one assumes that each individual must find out what kind of competence requirements should be imposed, says Lunde. If the dog law is broken, it can still have serious consequences. In the event of a lack of competence, one risks the police intervening and deciding that the dog must be relocated or euthanized, explains the lawyer. – You yourself risk fees, fines or imprisonment for up to six months. Skeptical of certification There are currently over half a million dogs in Norway. Around 1.2 million people in our country are responsible for a dog. This is shown by figures from the Norwegian Kennel Club (NKK), which has been strongly involved in getting a new and improved dog law in place. Communications advisor Anne Buvik does not believe in a certification of all dog owners. – The idea is beautiful. But that we have to certify 1.2 million people with completely different backgrounds and knowledge is a completely senseless thought, she believes. Anne Buvik in the Norwegian Kennel Club believes that it will be too extensive to certify everyone who has access to a dog. Photo: PRESSEFOTO / NKK Buvik has had a dog herself since 1975. She is both a breeder and hunting test participant. – Should I go on a course? What will I learn there? asks Buvik. Back in Tønsberg, the kitten Vilma has settled down with her foster mother. The plastic roof provides welcome shelter from the cold January rain. Anne Folvik is clear that she needs a course, even though she is an experienced dog owner. She knows what she wants out of the course evening. – Vilma will learn to listen to me. LONG EXPERIENCE: Kim Nordbotten has 25 years’ experience with dog training. Now it’s Vilma and Anita Folvik’s turn to get good tips. Photo: Randi Nørstebø / news
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I think the new dog law is difficult to interpret – wants a dog certificate – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
