New code of practice for getting a dog in Scotland

A code of practice for dog grooming is to be drawn up under a new law passed by MSPs in Scotland.

The Welfare of Dogs Bill aims to promote responsible ownership by ensuring people know what they are doing before taking on a pet.

Within 12 months the government will be required to draw up a code, effectively a checklist of questions about whether the new owner has considered whether they have the time, space and money required.

This will then inform a certificate, to be signed by the new owner and the person they are acquiring the dog from, to outline that both parties understand the commitment involved.

The new legislation is a member’s bill introduced by SNP MSP Christine Grahame, who has been pushing for the change for more than seven years.

The Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale MSP first championed the welfare of dogs bill in 2018, but saw it languish at the end of a term of parliament troubled by Covid.

The inspiration behind the bill can easily be seen at Edinburgh’s Dog and Cat Home, where Ms Graham is a regular fixture – she literally has her name on the wall.

The facility is currently at capacity for dogs, following a “worrying” increase in the number of dogs being treated.

One of them is Susan, a four-year-old Labrador-Staff cross. She’s a friendly dog ​​who has clearly had some training – she can sit, and offer a paw in exchange for a treat – but came in as a stray in October, possibly abandoned. .

Lindsay Fyfe-Jardine, chief executive of the home, says dogs come to them because good owners see their circumstances changing, through no fault of their own.

But she said there was also an issue with “decisions not being talked about before”.

She said: “It’s as easy to go to the supermarket to buy your cereal as it is to get a dog from lots of different places and the reality is that not everyone stops to think ‘Can I get this? Can I afford a dog? Can I fit them into my life?’

“Because it’s a huge commitment.”

This is where Christine Grahame’s bill comes in.

The new law requires the government to produce – within 12 months – a code of practice which sets out the steps to be taken when buying, selling or giving away a dog.

This code should include a checklist of questions that potential dog owners should ask themselves and the person they are acquiring the animal from.

These questions are intended to fit on one side of A4 paper, and will include things such as:

• What dog breed is suitable for the new owner
• whether they have a suitable environment to house it
• whether they have time to exercise regularly
• whether they can afford the cost of having a pet on an ongoing basis
• and whether they are committed to caring for the dog throughout its life

The new owner will then have to sign a certificate showing that they have considered the questions set out in the code, while the seller will sign it to confirm that they are satisfied to hand over the dog.

This certificate is not a license or legally binding document. The point is to get people to think carefully about what dog ownership entails before taking on a new pet.

is already 28-pages Code of Practice for Dog OwnersWhich was introduced as part of the previous animal welfare reforms in 2010.

But Ms Graham says few will actually read that code, and requiring a sign up at the point of purchasing a dog will focus the mind at the crucial moment.

The Conservatives pushed to merge the two codes only at the committee stage, but otherwise there has been little dissent over the plans as they now stand.

The bill also originally included proposals to set up a Scotland-wide database to include all dogs in unvaccinated litters.

However, it was stated by the government that it was not confident that “developing a registration scheme would be an effective or proportionate way” to deal with the issues surrounding irresponsible breeding.

The final debate on the bill also included a row about shock collars, when Green MSP Ross Greer attempted to ban them in the final stages of the debate.

The vote on the issue came after the government promised to return to the issue once an independent report on the devices is completed later this year.