Depending on whereabouts you live in the world, dogs are either treated exactly the same as human companions in terms of respect, loyalty, and kindness, but in other parts of the world, considerably less so.
As a dog owner in the United States, you are a member of the number one most popular species of domesticated animal owners and naturally include your precious pooch as a member of your family. However, you may not be aware of the number of laws that you may be at risk of breaching as a dog owner, and here are the three most prominent.
1. Always Pick Up Your Dog’s Waste
First and foremost, there are still an unbelievable number of people across the US who still neglect to pick up their dog’s waste when out walking them, and moreover, these people are probably also unaware that this is breaking the law in most cities and towns.
The only location it is legally permitted for your dog’s waste to remain where it lands is on your own property, so always make sure you carry plenty of doggie bags with you on every walk.
2. Purchase a Dog License
Across the United States, it is a legal requirement in some states, municipalities, and jurisdictions for dog owners to purchase an annual license for their dog, which, once registered, will come with an official dog tag that must be affixed to the collar of your dog when you are outside the home.
There are a number of reasons for this, including the fact that should your dog become lost, it will be easy to return them to you, but if there is ever an incident involving your own dog and another, such as a fight in the park, for example, the animal control officers will require the information.
In the event of your dog being attacked by another dog, even if you do not consider the wound to be serious and even if your dog seems not to be bothered by it, it is strongly advisable to contact a veterinary clinic, such as saltwateranimalhospital.com, which has a branch in Burien, WA, among others, so your dog can be looked over by a professional.
3. Always Make Sure Your Dog is Fully Vaccinated
Finally, the third most important law in place that you must abide by as a dog owner, whether or not you have just one dog or else several, is to always make sure your dog is fully vaccinated.
Check the specific laws regarding vaccinations and boosters for dogs in your own state, as they do tend to vary slightly, but basically, every single city has a set of rules regarding vaccinations; to break them could be breaking the law.
One such law regarding vaccinations is that every single dog must have had the rabies vaccine by the age of two, both for the safety of your own dog and, more broadly, the human population at large, as rabies is usually fatal for humans.
