Petition Reintroduction of Dog Licensing and Additional Licensing of Breeding

I petition for the reintroduction of dog licensing so that owners will need to pay an appopriate fee and register their dogs.

In conjunction with microchipping this will help to reduce the number of strays and abandoned animals and promote responsible dog ownership by not only tracing owners of badly behaved dogs but tracing the owners of lost and stolen animals.

Owners will need to consider the cost and responsibility of registering the animal and being responsible for it which reinforces the financial and social responsibility of pet ownership.

Additionally introducing the license to breed a dog (by applying for a license stating background of dog, colour, age, gender, intended use of dog etc) should again help to trace animals but will also help to reduce 'backyard' and irresponsible breeding. Any dogs that do not have a license to be bred should be neutered in order to prevent accidental pregnancies.