Grand Council TG Thurgau parliament revises the dog law once again

The Thurgau cantonal parliament revised the Dogs Act at its meeting on Monday. Changes were already made around a year ago. Dog training courses were declared compulsory with no exceptions. Now, among other things, the care of potentially dangerous dogs and the tax exemption for service dogs were discussed.

The changes were largely undisputed in parliament. However, any controversial points will only be regulated in the associated ordinance.

These include stricter rules for dealing with potentially dangerous dogs. Owners need a permit for this. This also applies to people who merely look after the animal. The Government Council will clarify exactly how this care is to be defined at a later date. It remains to be seen, for example, whether this would also be the case for a short period of time.

This topic also includes the possibility of using a genetic test to prove that an animal looks like a potentially dangerous breed but is not. If the affiliation is less than 50 percent, the dog is exempt from the licensing requirement.

Guide dogs are exempt from tax

The municipalities in Thurgau are responsible for enforcing the Dogs Act. If necessary, they can now increase the dog tax by a maximum of 50 percent in order to adjust the tax to the actual cost development. The municipalities are affected differently by the expenses, said cantonal councillor Walter Schönholzer (FDP).

Furthermore, service dogs will be exempt from the tax. This applies for as long as they live. This includes service dogs of the army, the police and the border guard corps as well as rescue and guide dogs. The second reading of the revised law will take place at one of the upcoming sessions.

SDA