Responsible Dog Ownership

O odgovornem lastništvu psa
If the owner cannot trust the dog anymore
It happens rather frequently that the relationship between the dog and its owner changes to a
degree, where the owner and his or her family do not feel safe in the company of their dog as,
in their opinion, it had altered and could by its behaviour endanger other family members.
Frequent consequence of such circumstances is that the owner wants to get rid of the dog.
How to do that?
Such behavioural changes would be possible due to health reasons, but it needs to be pointed
out that such situations are mainly due to the fact that people are unprepared to possess a dog
or choose a dog which they are unable to control. Another important reason may be that the
dog has not been appropriately socialised and trained.
How to take care of a dog, how to train it, and how to handle it in situations, where tensions
arise between the dog and other family members, these all are questions which need to
be answered before a dog comes into a family. Many inconveniences as consequence of
irresponsible handling of a dog may thus be avoided.
Owners of such dogs often begin to consider putting the dog “to sleep”. However, Article 26
of the Animal Protection Act allows the killing on account of aggressiveness for two reasons
only, where:
1. animal is endangering its environment or causing considerable damage, which cannot be
prevented otherwise;
2. so required by official veterinarian in order to protect persons or animals;
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In the first instance this means that the dog has bitten before and that on this basis the official
veterinarian is issuing a decision declaring the dog dangerous.
If the dog poses a potential threat to its environment, its transfer to animal shelter may be
an inadequate solution, as the dog, suspect of behaving aggressively towards persons, would
come into a new family, and might bite again. This possibility does exist, and the new keeper
needs to be fully familiarised with the dog’s behavioural traits and experienced in handling
difficult dogs so as to control such a dog.
And in the second instance it may be assumed that the dog has not bitten yet; however,
its owner suspects it might. In a situation like this, the dog owner shall file an application
with relevant VARS Regional Office, and the official veterinarian will establish within the
administrative procedure as to whether this is an animal that poses a threat to persons or
animals. His/her decision will be based on declarations of witnesses, experts or dog training
schools. And, based on decision issued by the official veterinarian, the dog may be put to
death using a prescribed method.
It needs to be pointed out again that, on account of behavioural problems, it is PROHIBITED
to kill a dog in any different manner. Such an act is regarded as cruelty to animals and may
be penalised by imprisonment.
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