Is Big Brother soon going to be monitoring the pups of Britain? Perhaps, if the proposed plan by the government to require dog owners in the UK to microchip their pets and purchase insurance goes through.
The impetus for such requirements apparently stems from a rash of attacks by aggressive dogs that have recently made headlines across the pond. These include the attack on 4 year old John-Paul Massey, who was mauled to his death by a pit bull in his grandmother's house, as well as the run of the mill (relatively speaking) dog-bites-postman scenarios that are not unique to English soil.
The belief is that microchips would help trace the owners of dogs that were involved in attacks and the insurance (most plans offer third party liability), would help compensate victims. It is believed that the extra "tax" on pet owners would discourage those from breeding and keeping dogs primarily for "protective" reasons.
There is a version of this bill already in place in Southern London, where, apparently those who refuse to comply, face the very real possibility of being evicted from rental properties. No mention of the penalties associated with noncompliance with the new bill.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is apparently behind the concept, stating that the number of dog attacks in the last four years has soared, although the exact figures were unavailable.
You can be sure the measure will be subject to the heartiest of debates. In a country where cameras routinely film street corners, one would think that pets were off limits, but apparently not.
Late breaking news: The Brits decided not to force the issue and the concept is off the table at least for now. Apparently lots of backlash from what they call "responsible owners" who did not want to have to finance the irresponsible ones. Sound familiar?
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