Geneva madness

T

TrecPeter

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www.alwena.com
As from Oct 2nd, all dogs big and small and tiny must wear muzzles if taken for a walk in any of Geneva's parks or green areas, the quay by the Rhone etc., even if they are on a lead.

This ill thought out scheme is a reaction to a tragic fatal attack on a child by 3 Pit-Bulls in Zurich.

By all means apply this rule to dangerous large dogs, but having to muzzle up a tiny Cavalier King Charles is downright idiocy. I think this rule will generally increase the agressivity of Geneva's dogs by seriously fustrating them when they want to play and have fun.

If anyone out there has any influence in Geneva's political circles, then please use it to overturn this stupid ruling.

thankyou.
 
Sorry Peter but I agree with it entirely and have done for many years. I feel that ANY dog being in a public place should be muzzled. If I lived in a town or took them walking where children are playing then I would be perfectly happy to buy muzzles for all of my dogs.
 
I disagree with random dogs being muzzled.
However, that comes with having 3 large dogs who don't bite.
I can see where they are coming from.
I think many dogs will be seriously unhappy, I know mine would if I muzzled her.
Overall, I disagree. Perhaps the most 'at risk' breeds could be muzzled? Slightly unfair but better than all IMO!
edited to fix wording!
 
Peter I agree with you that this is ridiculous! Yes if you know your dog has a snappy tendency then you should be aware and any decent dog owner would ensure that their dog would not be a threat to the general public
 
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I feel that ANY dog being in a public place should be muzzled.

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God I SO dont want to be argumentative but in that case why dont you practise this if you have believed if for years?
 
No bad experiences, but I do feel that if people are going to take their dogs to busy town centres or parks where children play that it surely is not too much of a problem for owners to muzzle their dogs if this is what the law states. Personally I can't see much of a difference between muzzles and those ever-so-popular halti collars.

Cute little dog - I adore King Charles'. Muzzles are available for them believe it or not:

Muzzle for small dogs
 
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I disagree with random dogs being muzzled.

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For sure! That is the whole problem with the general public though; people will think they are being singled out, that there is the implication that their dogs are biters which in turn will give them and their dogs a bad name. I think that if EVERY dog had to be muzzled then the stigma would no longer be there.

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I think many dogs will be seriously unhappy, I know mine would if I muzzled her.

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Not much different from the initial stages of introducing a halti-collar though to be honest. Dogs are very adaptable and they get used to allsorts of new things.

I have never lived in a town at any point in my life and my dogs don't go into busy town centres or childrens' playparks, but if I did then I would have no problem with abiding by the laws of said town.
 
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Cute little dog - I adore King Charles'. Muzzles are available for them believe it or not:

Muzzle for small dogs

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Thanks for the link - I should have been more specific, it fact the dog is a Cavalier King Charles and about half the size of a King Charles. It's only 1 inch from hers eyes to the very end of her small nose!!

Glad to hear you haven't had a bad dog experience.
 
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I have never lived in a town at any point in my life and my dogs don't go into busy town centres or childrens' playparks, but if I did then I would have no problem with abiding by the laws of said town.

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A few extra points to reflect on - I see this is quite a vigorous subject ! ......

1. We live in the middle of Geneva town in an appartment with 3 kids, 2 dogs, 2 cats, 1 chinchilla. Our horses are 100km away in France. The children and animals have always been part of the family and live together harmoniously.

2. Dogs might kill 0-1 humans per year in Switzerland, Horse riding maybe 5-10, Road accidents 560 in 2005 (see http://www.bpa.ch/recherche/statistique/statistique_2005/index.html#Accident%20–%20Sport)
Why in that case are we not insisting to ban cars and riding as a sport as well as muzzling mostly harmless dogs?

3. When I walk our 2 dogs at night in the nearby park, always on a lead (that's the current law which is quite OK), the only "children" I meet are shady young men selling drugs, heroin etc. This is right in the town centre next to the Rhone. I sometime wish I had a very fierce looking beast with me to frighten them off. We also get quite a few drunks relieving themselves against the walls of the garages in our street. So much for quaint "nice" Geneva.
In the day there is a fenced of play area for real children where dogs are already prohibited.

4. The Swiss Federal government let the cantons decide for themselves which extra rules should be drawn up, but implied that the existing laws were adequate if enforced correctly. Geneva seems to have gone to extremes which will mean that as you go across Switzerland the rules/laws change.
Wise laws are to be obeyed, but ill thought out nonsense needs to be questioned!

sorry for such a long reply... but....
 
Small dogs are every bit as likely to bite as large ones, possiby more so in the case of terriers. It is highly unlikely that someone who has a dog with a tendency to bite would be the sort of owner who, having decided to walk the dog in public, would bother to muzzle it. Therefore, this legislation has to apply to all dogs in order to catch the small percentage it is actually aimed at. I hope the Swiss police force has nothing better to do with its time than check if all dogs being walked are muzzled! It does make sense in some ways, I have to say. Do people still teach their children not to rush up to strange dogs? I was told this, and so were my children, but not everyone seems to be so careful. TBH, as it is in the city and in parks, it doesn't sound too unreasonable. We had a lovely dog who became very unpredictable around other dogs, and we muzzled him even when running him through the fields. He soon got used to it, and I am sure your dog will. The benefit of a muzzle is it does stop dogs eating undesirable objects in public places!
 


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I think many dogs will be seriously unhappy, I know mine would if I muzzled her.

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Not much different from the initial stages of introducing a halti-collar though to be honest. Dogs are very adaptable and they get used to allsorts of new things.

yes... my dog hated the idea of a halti, and I choose not to use one! I would have two very miserable dogs if muzzles were enforce( besides which, the only ones Ive seen are plastic!)
If I were in Geneva, I'd be up and out of there!
Sorry, can't agree with that law at all.
 
Fair enough.
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The way I see it, it really isn't about protecting the dog or making the dog feel uncomfortable for a couple of days whilst it gets used to it - it is for the safety of children and the general public.

Don't want to keep harping on here ........ but whose 8 week old puppy "enjoyed" wearing it's collar for the first few months? Did they get used to it?
 
To an extent I agree with this, at least this way dogs are not being singled out.
But what I would really like to see is dog only parks. Then they wont be omming into contact with children playing ect only other people out with dogs.Wont happen but can dream!
 
Actually there are dog-only parks in LA!! I watched a programme on it some time ago. Lots of doggy things to do and loads of doggies running happily around playing.

Sorry but I have just GOT to say it, as if I don't someone else will .........."Only in America!!" Which of course is not true as I am pretty sure I have read about plenty of other places where they have doggy only areas.
 
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Actually there are dog-only parks in LA!! I watched a programme on it some time ago. Lots of doggy things to do and loads of doggies running happily around playing.

Sorry but I have just GOT to say it, as if I don't someone else will .........."Only in America!!" Which of course is not true as I am pretty sure I have read about plenty of other places where they have doggy only areas.

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Ohhhhhhh, lucky LA residents!
Lets hope the idear catches on over here, I can honestly say I always picked up after my dogs but so many dont- nothing worse then dog poo covered child!

Besides, if the special "doggy park" had some agility equipment ect it would make walks so much more fun fro the dogs.
 
Another thing - the only bite I've had from an animal in the last few years has been from a horse - bad tempered club horse it was!

Coming back to collars, I agree any dog gets used to that OK.
However their jaws in common with horses are the equivalent our hands. Whenever a horse or dog wants to pick something up it does so with it's mouth. How would your horse feel if you bound it's mouth tight? Same as a dog I would imagine - like a bonded slave.

It all comes down to trust in the end. If you want a person or animal (what's the difference eh?) to be responsible you have to give them the freedom to make a sensible decision .
 
I think that it is a little severe "all dogs". However I do consider it protects your dog for the following reasons.

1. It would prevent dogs fighting, we all must have been a little apprehensive when out walking and a loose dog has suddenly arrived, owner no-where to be seen.

2. There can be no issues, if your dog is suddenly pounced on my a member of public for a pat or stroke, everyone is safe.

3. Even little lap dogs can snap, meaning point 2, they do get an awful lot of attention and not everyone knows how to gently stroke a dog and approach them.

4. So for the dogs sake, forget about people I feel that the safety implications are well meant by enforcing muzzels.

I do hope that guide dogs are exempt from this law, as would not be able to carry out their duties.
 
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How would your horse feel if you bound it's mouth

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Oh dear
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....... funny you should ask that - I have a laminitic pony who had to wear a muzzle
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. She didn't like it for the first day or two but she got used to it in no time.

Muzzles do come in all shapes and styles and none of them actually bind the dogs mouth closed - I know as I had a dog who used to attack my old dog and whenever I left our property the dog had to be muzzled - I had the little Mikki (material) one and also a plastic one - both allowed her to eat and drink. She was perfectly happy with either on - and so was I as on my return I didn't have to rush my old dog down to the vets to have surgery every time.
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Not too sure what sort you are thinking of
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filly190 - That's a good point about guide dogs !!

By the way, the new restrictions only apply to Parks and most public green areas in Geneva, so it will not be against the law to walk along a busy pavement in Geneva with an un-muzzled dog, where you're likely to meet lot of people. Not really logical isn't it!
 
Forgot to say, yes I agree, most humans don't know how to talk to dogs, and most other animals too.

They've a lot to learn from our little Cav. King Charles - she knows exactly how to charm people.
 
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Not really logical isn't it!

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Where governments are concerned.....these things rarely are!
 
No I don't remember where I found it, but if you right click and properties over it you will find the website. I know they have other horses there!
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