PDTE 2016 July Newsletter

Country
Corner
Reports from country representatives of member countries
United
Kingdom
Harriet Jane Alexander
T
he dog world is bustling
in the UK this year, both
nationally and within PDTE.
We’ve welcomed some new associate
members to our midst, and for the first
time Turid Rugaas’ International Dog
Trainer Education (IDTE) is being
hosted in the UK. PDTE Secretary
Karen Webb and her husband have
done an extraordinary job putting the
course together, and the response from
students has been very encouraging.
We can’t wait to hear more about it!
The UK is often a contradictory
place when it comes to dog welfare.
There are an estimated eight and
a half million pet dogs in the UK,
and interest in dogs is reflected in
the many products, training classes,
Netherlands
Rachaël Draaisma
Last year we welcomed several
new members to PDTE, a
few of them are Dutch and
living in the Netherlands. Some have
been working as dog trainers. Others
are starting up their dog schools, and
are busy making websites, facebook
pages, etc. We have two dates a year
television programs and research
projects that exist. Unfortunately,
dogs are still facing the same issues –
the prevalence of outdated and cruel
training methods, puppy farming and
a surplus of unwanted and abandoned
pets that ended up in over-crowed
rescue centres. Dogs Trust, the UK’s
largest dog welfare charity, reported
last year that 47,596 dogs were given
up by their owners, and 5,142 were put
to sleep (around 14 dogs per day).
The BBC released a harrowing
documentary in May called ‘Britain’s
Puppy Dealers Exposed’. While
distressing to view, it generated
discussion and outrage among the
public about the brutal conditions
these dogs and puppies are kept in, as
well as an investigation into the illegal
puppy dealers featured. For those of us
working in the training and behaviour
world, it highlights how important it
is to educate people not only about
respecting and valuing their canine
were we offer opportunities to meet
each other and these get-togathers
are visited by an average of eleven
people. A lot of members are busy
organising lectures and seminars,
both for customers, and for a broader
audience.
At the horse fair PDTE member Helga,
organised enriched environments
for people visiting the horse fair,
companions, but also where they
should get them from in the first place.
Supply and demand is the key issue –
if people know how and where to get
a healthy and cared for puppy, these
unscrupulous ‘breeders’ will struggle
to keep their horrific businesses
operating.
Compulsory micro-chipping of dogs in
the UK came into place in April 2016,
which ideally will make it easier for
missing dogs to be reunited with their
owners. There have been criticisms
surrounding who will monitor and
police this change in the law (and who
will bother to comply with it), and only
time will tell if it has an impact on the
stray dog population.
There’s been quite a bit of discussion
among UK members about the PDTE
AGM – we are looking forward to
catching up with our fellow members
across the channel !
but wanted to do an activity with
their dog. Calming Signs visited the
Woof stock fair for the first time and
showed visitors their products. On
the October 4th, the Dutch Day of
the Animal, seven members will each
organise a theme day “Stimulate the
senses”. A collective press release on
the theme will be written and sent to
the press.
Some other dog related news from the
Netherlands. The dog is still a very
beloved family companion. Number
of dogs in the Netherlands is being
considered steady by the government.
The estimation is that every one out of
five families in the Netherlands owns a
dog. Eighty percent of these families
have children. This is about one and a
half million dogs in this country. Mind
you these are the registered dogs. The
number could well be higher. Great
news is the decision of the Dutch
government to ban the shock devices
sold at stores. However the huge
disappointment is the fact that the
government does make an exception
Belgium
Marina Gates Flemming
Belgium is a sovereign state
in Western Europe. It is a
founding member of the
European Union and hosts several
of the EU’s official seats and as well
as the headquarters of many major
international organizations such as
NATO.
Belgium covers an area of just
over 30,000 square km and has
a population of about 11.5 million
people. The capital, Brussels, is also
the capital of the EU and of Flanders.
Belgium is home to 3 linguistic
groups: the Dutch-speaking, Flemish
community, which constitutes
about 59% of the population, the
French-speaking, mostly Walloon
population, which comprises 41% of
the population and a small group of
German-speakers who are officially
recognized.
for dog specialists, who use these
devises to prevent danger for others.
A growing number of dog lovers
question the use of vaccinations and
are requesting information regarding
tittering their dog. More places are
offering titter tests for dogs.
The Kennel club of the Netherlands
sent out news that the faculty of
Dierengeneeskunde of the University
of Utrecht has developed DNA tests
that enable owners of the Dutch
breeds: the Kooiker and the Friese
Stabij, to test if their dog is a bearer
of a divergent gene. In the Friese
Belgium is a federal constitutional
monarchy with a parliamentary system
of governance and the territory is
divided into three Regions: Flanders,
(the Flemish Region), Wallonia (the
French speaking Region) and the
Brussels Capital Region (where you
will hear many a language spoken).
Belgium has compulsory voting and
thus maintains one of the highest rates
of voter turnout in the world.
Based on the four language areas
defined in 1962–63 (the Dutch,
bilingual, French and German language
areas), consecutive revisions of the
country’s constitution established a
unique form of a federal state with
segregated political power into three
levels:
1. The Federal government based in
Brussels.
2. The three language communities
3. The three regions
The Federal Government authority
includes justice, defense, federal
police, social security, nuclear energy,
Stabij the divergent gene causes
an error in a protein that normally
ensures the reabsorption of a neuro
transmitter after a neuron is activated.
The defective protein reabsorption
leads to continuous stimulus. This
results in compulsive behaviour in
pups like walking in circles. Pups
that are diagnosed with this disease
are being euthanized. The DNA test
is developed to be used by breeders
before they start breeding. In the
Kookier dog the defect gene that can
be tested upon is causing paralysing
of the hind legs. A cure has not been
found. Breeders can take the DNA
test as a precaution.
monetary policy and public debt,
and other aspects of public finances.
It controls substantial parts of public
health, home affairs and foreign
affairs.
Regions have authority in fields that
can be broadly associated with their
territory. These include economy,
employment, agriculture, water
policy, housing, public works, energy,
transport, the environment, town and
country planning and nature.
Since mid 2014, Welfare for animals
has been devolved to the 3 regions.
They have all inherited the Animal
Welfare Act which was written in
1986. Each region will be looking to
update this and have each appointed
an Animal Welfare Minister
(Flanders: Ben Weyts; Wallonia:
Carlo Di Antonio and Brussels
Capital: Bianca Debaets); this being
just one of their responsibilities.
I propose to comment on the
progress made by the respective
animal welfare ministers in the next
newsletter.
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