THE INTEGRATION OF THE ANIMAL IN TOWN
By the veterinarian Doctor jean pierre Kieffer
 
Possessing a dog in town is source of pleasure for the owner but many voices raise to denounce the behavior of some masters who aren't very civic by leaving their animal create nuisances. The rambling of the dogs running free, the stains on the pavements and the inopportune barks are so many situations which bring animal owners and other city-dwellers into conflict.
 
If cities aren't conceived for animals, it is necessary to admit that animals aren't naturally adapted to live in town. It requires a training for the animal which implies the respect of some rules by his master. Accepting to wear a necklace and walk next to his master, fastened at the end of a leash, aren't spontaneous capacities to the dog. The walking in leash isn't something you can improvise. The learning depends on the used material and on the educational technique.
 
Some figures :
One household in two possesses a pet.
A little more than 8 million dogs and 9 million cats rare counted in France.
3,5 million dogs are estimated in towns of more than 20 000 inhabitants.
17% of dogs and 25% of cats live in apartment
In Paris and its surbubs, there are more cats (11%) than dogs (8%)
 
The necklace
The necklace mustn't hamper or frighten the dog. It is necessary to accustom him as soon as his younger age, by associating game and reward to putting the necklace. The necklace should possess a certain flexibility and provoke no pain. A simple sliding metal necklace in a ring is a good system. The leather or in plait necklace doesn't allow a good learning of the walking in leash because it doesn't transmit well the information to the dog, this one tending to take support on the leather necklace and thus pull his master.
The leash
The leash is the link between the dog and his master, it makes it possible to limit and to steer the movements of the animal. The leash with drum doesn't facilitate the education of the dog because it allows an in and out movement.

Furthermore, this type of leash can be a real danger in town by getting caught between the legs of the pessers-by. The ideal leash should be made of leather or synthetics, measure a little more than a meter, what forces the dog to walk beside his master, without overtaking him.

Harnesses are to be preferred for huskies and are often used for miniature races. Any dog should be walked in leash, even if he is obedient. A sudden noise, a car which appears can divert brutally the dog from his way and provoke an accident the animal's owner of which should assume the material consequences.
 

IT'S COMPULSORY :

The necklace : "any dog circulating on the public highway running free or even held in leash, should be provided with a necklace carrying, engraved on a patch of metal , owner's name and address".
Decree of October 6 1904
The leash : "dogs can circulate on the public highway in urban zone, as long as they are held in leash"
Department sanitary regulation : article :99-6.
The leash and the muzzle : "The mayors can order that dogs are held in leash and muzzled"
Article 213 of the rural code.
The leash and the muzzle : "On the public highway in the common parts of the collective buildings, the dogs of the first and the second category should be muzzled and held in leash"
Article 211-5 of the rural code
The identification :"All the dogs and cats, before their transfer, free of charge or subject to payment, identified by a process approved by the ministry of agriculture...It's the same, except any transfer, for the four month old and more dogs who were born after the promulgation of the January 6 1999's law"
Article 276-2 of rural code

 
Excrements :
Dogs' excrements are one of the main sources of conflict between the dog's owners and the other city-dwellers. These dog dirts can sometimes lead to slidings responsible for accidents and at least a certain rumbling discontent. The little scrupulous owners let their dog go about alone on the pavement for the last evening outing. It is thus necessary to teach to him to make his business in the trench. So you should accustom him young, (see article : "The education of the puppy"), take him out shortly after his meal and lead him by the trench. It will be necessary to pull at its leash as soon as he begins to turn and to put himself in position. Don't hesitate to caress him and to congratulate him to show him that he did well. Certain towns have installations like "canisites" or "canisette", to which you should get you dog used. For evident hygiene reasons, dogs should not go to public gardens, lawns and sandboxes of the playareas for chidren. Small simple fittings enable the master with civic responsibity to repair the neglect of their companion and to eliminate excrement in trenches. In several towns, awareness campaigns allowed people to become aware of their responsibilities, but in Paris the "moto-crottes" are still around to clean the pavements and the policemen to charge for the dirts (about 1000 fines a year in Paris).The integration of dogs in town go through the learning of the trench use when they are young, by the use of the installations when they exist and by the reflex to collect or to push excrement towards the trench.
 
The barkings
The inopporture barkings can be considered as "an abnormal disturbance of the neighborhood". In that case any infringement is liable to a fine.

Mostly, these problems of neighborhood are settled out of court information of the owner of the dog who can use an anti-barking necklace (device emitting a jet of citronella, totally harmless for the animal). If the disturbance persists a complaint can made. The civil juridictions can be seized, with demand of damages.
 

IT IS FORBIDDEN !

The rambling : " It 's forbidden to let dogs and cats ramble"
Article 213-2 of the rural code.
Shops : "The access of animals in shops is forbidden, except the dogs guides of blind men"
Department sanitary regulations
The public places : "It is forbidden to let pets go about in streets, in squares and other places of the public highway, as well as halls and markets."
Department sanitary regulations
The public places : "The access of the first category dogs to public transports, to public places except the public highway ones and to the premises opened to the public, is forbidden"
Article 211-5 of the rural code
 
Everything passes by the education
Numerous dog owners admit not to know how to control their dog in town, they are advice seekers. And so was born the dog urban education which makes it possible to integrate dogs into town by adapting him to the constraints of the urban life, while respecting their natural instincts. Initiatives developped these last five years in numerous towns as "La Rochelle, Blois, Boulogne Billancourt, or Paris. All these experiences should multiply in the years to come.
His objective is to correct the bad habits installed between the master and the dog and to replace them by rules of simple actions. Sometimes, consulting a veteri-narian turns out indispensable to correct some behaviour of disorders, in particular when concerning street fears.

The dog presents then a real phobia of the street noises, which translates an emotional disturbance. To avoid these disorders, it is important to take the puppy out as soon as possible in the street, at a period when the socialization develops.
 
The towns' initiatives
The successful integration of the animal in town depends largely on the interest which the elected members have for the animal presence. The mayors' attitude towards animals has evolved considerably over the last 20 years. Today more and more towns take initiatives to better manage the animal presence in the urban space. To succeed, the insertion programs should be structured and meet some major operational principles. The areas reserved for animals and those where they aren't allowed should be clearly indicated. Sanitary equipments are practical solutions which prove the community's efforts but which require an education of the public.
The instigation to the individual collection requires specific devices free of charge to be put at the dog owners' disposal. On the other hand, the cleaning by expensive machines often have a negative effect on the dog owners who leave it to the community to clean the pavements to assume their responsibility.

The institution of a tax on dogs would strengthen this feeling that everything is allowed and that the city should clean because we pay for it. All these efforts should not prevent the more recalcitrant people for whom punishment seems inevitable being booked for their lack of public spirit.

Within the framework of the integration of animals in town, the veterinarian can bring an important help to both the owners of animals and the elected members. He can inculcate the bases of education and correct the bad habits. His educational robe can apply to the technical services of municipalities. He is one of the main actors of the success of any program of insertion.
 
CONCLUSION
If the owner of a pet is responsible, that is to say, if he gives his dog the bases of a good education to behave correctly in the urban environment and whether municipalities give these same animals the means to be well integrated into cities, then oppositions among the owners of animals and the other city-dwellers should diminish. The veterinarian has a role to play in this process. So, please, don't hesitate to consult him.


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