Dog owners warned switching to walking harness could land them with £5,000 fine

This has hit the news in the past couple of days and I wanted to highlight it, because I think it might affect many of us dog walkers on here.

I also wanted to add that my dog walks on a harness for health reasons…I refuse to yank her collar, and prefer to guide her using the harness. They do say this is allowed but you must have visible ID too.

I think its a bit silly to make having an identity tag on your dog, a legal issue. The current spate of dog thefts makes putting your address on a dog tag quite ridiculous, frankly. Besides my dog dog is micro chipped with all my details on it, (and that’s the law too, so why not enforce it?), so if they think I’m putting my details on a tag - which is easily removable - they can think again.

I am aware I sound a bit flouncy, but seriously…who thinks up these things?!

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Do the police seriously have time to deal with this? Are they going to appoint English Terriers and give them Bobby uniforms and little ticket books? It’s the same over here in the U.S. Your dog is supposed to have on it’s tags or you’re subject to a fine. In 57 years I have never seen a ticket issued for such. The only time a dogs tags come into play over here is if the dog bites someone(tags showing shots) or if the dog get away (tag with your phone number).

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Danny I doubt very much the police will be getting involved in this, to be honest. They are stretched enough as it is, and often walk by other matters they could be dealing with, so no…I don’t imagine they will be getting out their pocket books. I do love your English Terrier image though - made me laugh!

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41gLDrNXWZL.AC

Make my day!

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Holly wears a harness on walks, but she is never without her collar and tag.

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although i have a harness for taking my dog a walk , i also put her collar on which has a ID disc ,I would want her to be returned ASP , i might add I also have PetLog where her ID chip which is under her skin is registered .
.

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If I could give that more hearts I totally would!! Love it! :+1:

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We also have had Teazle micro chipped. The problem is that is no proof of ownership, it only shows who owned the dog at the time of chipping. I see from the above posts no mention either of using a Halti only.
Yet again someone who doesn’t know dog control making a law. Typical, yet another useless government plonker trying to make a name for themselves.

Often a harness is used for health reasons and advised by vets for the dogs welfare.

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Yes I can see your point about microchips , if my dog had been passed about with several owners I might be concerned but , I have vets yearly check up records ,to prove ownership , plus her paper work from the Rescue home we got her from .

On the subject of Halti , I passed them up even when hubby came back with a new one , after seeing how close they come to the eyes , they look most uncomfortable .

Glad you edited your post . :laughing:

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Maybe I’m missing something here. Max wears a harness, a Halti, he has his ID tag and, if circumstances require it, he has a lead. It wet weather we replace the Halti with a raincoat. and the the lead if need be. And the ID tag is a permanent fixture.

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Dageus has a harness but he only ever wears it if he has to go onto the back seat of the car, when for some reason he can’t get into the big tailgate space where he usually is. He wears his collar with tag clearly showing when we are out for a walk and as soon as we get home off it comes and he’s as nature intended. He is microchiped too.

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What? That is crazy stuff.
Some dogs need a harness due to trachea issues. I doubt they will enforce it. It’s just too petty & frivolous when there are more important things to consider. Our dogs have collars tags and are microchipped.

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Am I missing something here?
Whilst I might question who exactly is going to enforce this if it is law … it’s a not switching to a harness that is the issue but the dog’s ID tag?

But what dog owner wouldn’t want their dog to carry ID?
I thought it was standard in case the dog got lost, ran off, bit someone… even if another dog.

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This thread makes me sad. My place is too small for a dog. I miss having a dog. I’ve had one since I was 3 years old. Not the same one obviously. :sob: :sob:

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Ah Danny … I know how you feel. I’d love a dog but can’t have one.

Anyway, I think the day will come soon enough when dog owners will have to take their pets to proper designated areas for walkies and carry proper insurance documents.
You do still see the odd doggy owner with one of those extendable leads walking on the pavement with the dog about 15 foot away … I’m amazed they don’t amble into the road and cause an accident.

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Sue walked our dobermann “Sage” on a halti and collar as he was so strong, but the biggest daftest softie ever. Sue mae a soft section wrap around the strap for the part over bridge of nose

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Dobermans are beautiful dogs , not as many about as there was . thats a good idea Sue had . :smiley:

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I understand the ID bit, and I’m still on the fence about it. Living where I do, its information that I would rather not be made public, due to high crime, and dog theft. It just makes me anxious that’s all.

Don’t know if you know or not but we owned boarding kennels licenced for 119 dog and a cattery for 42 cats. We owned and bred Afghan hounds- showed and did film work through an agent. Apart from the Afghan hounds we also had this dobermann -A Hamiltonstövare ( Swedish fox hound) and now Teazle our Border terrier
Owned dogs since 1972 and local vets boarded their pets with us when they were on holiday

WE also had Tango and Pepsie, A shetland pony and Welsh/Shetland X pony

Cross

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Hi

Totally agree Morti, with one exception.

If you have a dog you should pay for Insurance and the costs of cleaning up the dog muck.

I,like you, am not in a position to have a dog day in and day out.

I do look after Paris, the French Bulldog ,from time to time, but then I have a big garden and for exercise we play catch and Paula cleans up when she comes.

I could not have a dog full tume.

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