Dog owners in Berlin are facing a new breed of bureaucratic by-laws as they must now obtain a driver’s licence to let their pooch loose.
A draft law was approved by The Berlin House of Representatives, according to the Berlin Magazine, last Wednesday requiring dog owners to hold a “Hundeführerschein”.
The literal translation is a dog driver’s licence and the aim is to ensure every owner acquires one before letting their pet off the lead.
Dog licences in Great Britain were abolished in 1987.
But Berlin’s dog owners are already required to register their pet.
The new laws, reported in the Atlantic Citylab, are targeted at keeping potentially dangerous breeds in check.
However, it is likely to prove controversial with the German capital’s 100,000-dog owners as it will cost around 100 Euros and needs to be renewed annually at a cost of 40 Euros.
Not only will all new dog owners now have to pay for their pet permit, the canine must also pass basic training and prove to be manageable.
Only small dogs such as chihuahuas and corgis will be exempt from the rule.
Breeding of four types of dog: the Staffordshire terrier, the American pitbull, the bull terrier and the Tosa is outlawed and they will be forced to wear muzzles.
And all Berliners who take their dog for a walk without being prepared to scoop the poop will also face a fine.
The latest canine crackdown comes a year after dogs in Berlin were banned from some beauty spots in the city.
For man’s best friend in Berlin, it really is proving to be a dog’s life.
